Distributed Intelligent Software for Vibration and Acoustic Monitoring and Systems and Methods Implementing the Same

ABSTRACT

A method includes instructing a first sensing device to enter a first state, the first state comprising a first set of functions and behavior for the sensing device. The first sensing device is instructed to aggregate sensing data, the sensing data comprising measurements of the property of the surroundings of the first sensing device measured by the at least one sensor. Relevant data from the aggregated sensing data is stored on one of a memory of the first sensing device, a database of a central database and control system associated with the first sensing device, and a memory of a client device. It is determined that a first event has occurred based on the aggregated sensing data, and responsive to the determining that the first event has occurred, the first sensing device is instructed to enter a second state.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of pending U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 17/209,192, filed on Mar. 22, 2021, which claimspriority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/992,904, filed onMar. 21, 2020 and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/081,887,filed on Sep. 22, 2020, each of which is incorporated herein in itsentirety. This application also claims priority to pending U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 63/087,284, filed on Oct. 4, 2020,which is incorporated herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure generally relates to sensor devices related to assetmanagement, including tracking, warehousing, inventorying, andmonitoring items (e.g., objects, tools, and other equipment).

BACKGROUND

When equipment failure occurs, multiple factors may contribute to thefailure or malfunctioning of the equipment. It is conventionallydifficult to isolate the cause of failure without continuous monitoringof the various factors. Therefore, it is desirable to be able to monitora large amount of data on different aspects of equipment or assets inorder to determine the condition of the equipment or assets and causesfor failure or malfunctioning.

In some applications, an array of sensor devices may be deployed atdifferent physical locations in the field to gather information aboutvarious conditions. In some cases, sensor devices at each locationcommunicate with a system that provides sensor data to users and takesfurther actions based on the sensor data it receives. The sensor devicesmay continuously communicate the full range of sensor data collected tothe central system at all times. However, communicating large volumes ofdata for extended periods of time or continuously at all times resultsin high power consumption, particularly when the sensor devices areusing wireless communication to send data to the central system.Situations may arise where an object or location being monitored doesnot require the full functionality of the sensing device or onlyrequires a limited set of functionalities.

SUMMARY

Disclosed herein is a method and sensing system for monitoring equipmentusing wireless sensor nodes. The wireless sensor nodes are configured togather sensor data using sensors integrated into the wireless sensornodes and wirelessly communicate data with other wireless nodes of thesensing system including communication of the gathered sensor data. Thewireless sensor nodes are wireless sensor devices that may be attachedor coupled to an object of interest for measuring sensor data relevantto the object of interest. In some embodiments, a wireless sensor nodeis an embodiment of an adhesive tape platform, examples of which arediscussed below with respect to FIGS. 1-5C and 10A-10C. Wireless sensornodes attached to various components of equipment gather sensor data onthe components of equipment. The sensor data may be transmitted andrelayed through wireless nodes of the sensing system to a control systemstored on the cloud. The sensing system is configured to coordinatecommunication of sensor data in a way that conserves battery life ofwireless sensor nodes without sacrificing the ability to detect eventsbased on the sensor data.

According to some embodiments, a distributed intelligent softwaresupports communication to, from, and/or between one or more sensordevices deployed in the field. The term distributed intelligent softwareherein includes hardware used to implement the logic and collect dataassociated with the distributed intelligent software. A system forcollecting sensor information includes an array of sensor devices, eachsensor device located at one of a plurality of locations or coupled toone of a plurality of objects. The sensor devices collect measurementson a relevant property or signal. For example, a sensor device in thearray of sensor devices may collect data on temperature measurements,vibration measurements, or some combination thereof. Each sensor devicewirelessly communicates with another device, such as another sensordevice, and/or a central database and control system. A sensor devicemay operate in an initial state. The initial state may be a lowcommunication mode when an indicator measurement is within a moderaterange, according to some embodiments. In the low communication mode, thesensor device limits the communication with other devices, such asanother sensor device, and/or a central database and control system andonly transmits a low amount of data periodically. For example, thesensor device may only transmit a root-mean-square (RMS) valueperiodically, rather than sending a full spectrum of data that includesmeasurements over multiple frequencies and times. If an event isdetected based on the collected data, the state of the sensor device isaltered, according to the distributed intelligent software. For example,if an indicator measurement is outside of the moderate range (above ahigh threshold or below a low threshold), the distributed intelligentsoftware may include instructions located on the sensor device that,when executed in response to the indicator measurement being outside ofthe moderate range, transitions from the low communication mode to thehigh communication mode, according to some embodiments. In the highcommunication mode, the distributed intelligent software may cause thesensor device to transmit a larger volume of data to other devicesand/or to the central database and control system than in the lowcommunication mode (e.g., transmitting a full range of data included,such as a full frequency spectrum), according to some embodiments. Thesensor device may also transmit data more frequently in the highcommunication mode than in the low communication mode. The distributedintelligent software that generates the instruction which causes thesensor to transition from low to high communication mode may be locatedat the sensor device, or at another device, such as another sensordevice, a gateway device, and/or the central database and controlsystem.

In further embodiments, the sensor device may take additional actions inthe high communication mode. For example, the sensor device may sendalerts to the central database and control system, send alerts to othersensor devices in the sensor device array, increase the sampling rate ofmeasurements of the sensor device and/or another sensor device, or somecombination thereof. In response to the sensor device entering the highcommunication mode, the central database and control system and one ormore client devices may also take additional actions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a diagrammatic view of an asset that has been sealed forshipment using a segment of an example adhesive tape platform dispensedfrom a roll.

FIG. 1B is a diagrammatic top view of a portion of the segment of theexample adhesive tape platform shown in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of an example of an envelope carrying asegment of an example adhesive tape platform dispensed from a backingsheet.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an example segment of an adhesive tapeplatform.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic top view of a length of an example adhesivetape platform.

FIGS. 5A-5C show diagrammatic cross-sectional side views of portions ofdifferent respective adhesive tape platforms.

FIG. 6A is a diagrammatic view of an example of a network environmentsupporting communications with segments of an adhesive tape platform.

FIG. 6B is a diagram showing an example system environment for thesensing system including the adhesive tape platform, according to someembodiments.

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view of a hierarchical communications network.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of a method of creating a hierarchicalcommunications network.

FIGS. 9A-9E are diagrammatic views of exemplary use cases for adistributed agent operating system.

FIGS. 10A-10C are diagrammatic top views of a length of an exampletracking adhesive product.

FIG. 11 shows an example environment for a fleet of wireless sensornodes and wireless nodes of the sensing system for generating sensingdata on a section of equipment and communicating the sensing data withthe sensing system, according to some embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Disclosed herein is a method and sensing system for monitoring equipmentusing wireless sensor nodes. The wireless sensor nodes are configured togather sensor data using sensors integrated into the wireless sensornodes and wirelessly communicate data with other wireless nodes of thesensing system including communication of the gathered sensor data. Thewireless sensor nodes are wireless sensor devices that may be attachedor coupled to an object of interest for measuring sensor data relevantto the object of interest. In some embodiments, a wireless sensor nodeis an embodiment of an adhesive tape platform, examples of which arediscussed below with respect to FIGS. 1-5C and 10A-10C. Wireless sensornodes attached to various components of equipment gather sensor data onthe components of equipment. The sensor data may be transmitted andrelayed through wireless nodes of the sensing system to a control systemstored on the cloud. The sensing system is configured to coordinatecommunication of sensor data in a way that conserves battery life ofwireless sensor nodes without sacrificing the ability to detect eventsbased on the sensor data.

Also disclosed herein is distributed intelligent software for managing areal-time sensing system including one or more of the following members:one or more sensor devices, a central database and control system, andone or more client devices. In some embodiments of the presentdisclosure, a sensor device (also referred to herein as an “adhesivetape platform”) has a form factor of a flexible adhesive tape. Theadhesive tape platform includes a flexible substrate with an adhesive onan outer surface of the flexible substrate, a flexible cover layer, adevice layer between the flexible substrate and the flexible coverlayer, and (optionally) a flexible battery. The adhesive tape platformhas a dual functionality as both a sensor device for measuringproperties and/or signals relevant to an object of interest and anadhesive tape that can be adhered to the objects of interest or used toseal or close items (e.g., a box).

The distributed intelligent software defines one or more rules,algorithms, protocols, logic, and other methods that analyze sensingdata and instructs the one or more sensor devices, the central databaseand control system, and the one or more client devices based on thesensing data. The distributed intelligent software controls the one ormore sensing devices, the central database and control system, and/orthe one or more client devices to determine that specific events haveoccurred based on the sensing data collected by the one or more sensordevices and communications between members of the sensing system. Usingthe distributed intelligent software, the sensing system is able toautomatically alter the operation of the sensing system depending on thevarious conditions and contexts that may occur in real-time.

The distributed intelligent software may be in the form of executablecode that may be run on one or more of a sensor device, a client device(e.g., a computer and/or a smartphone), a server, a central database andcontrol system, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, thedistributed intelligent software may be part of or integrated with anoperating system for one or more of a sensor device, a sensing system, aclient device, a server, a central database and control system, or anycombination thereof.

In the following description, like reference numbers are used toidentify like elements. Furthermore, the drawings are intended toillustrate major features of exemplary embodiments in a diagrammaticmanner. The drawings are not intended to depict every feature of actualembodiments nor relative dimensions of the depicted elements and are notdrawn to scale.

As used herein, the term “or” refers an inclusive “or” rather than anexclusive “or.” In addition, the articles “a” and “an” as used in thespecification and claims mean “one or more” unless specified otherwiseor clear from the context to refer the singular form.

Each of the one or more sensor devices (also referred to herein as“wireless sensing nodes”) in the sensing system may be a sensor devicehaving an adhesive tape form factor (also referred to herein as an“adhesive tape platform”). The term “tape node” refers to an adhesivetape platform or a segment thereof that is equipped with sensor,processor, memory, energy source/harvesting mechanism, and wirelesscommunications functionality, where the adhesive product has a varietyof different form factors, including a multilayer roll or a sheet thatincludes a plurality of divisible adhesive segments. Once deployed, eachtape node can function, for example, as an adhesive tape, label,sticker, decal, or the like, and as a wireless communications device.

The terms “adhesive tape node,” “wireless node,” or “tape node” may beused interchangeably in certain contexts, and refer to an adhesive tapeplatform or a segment thereof that is equipped with sensor, processor,memory, energy source/harvesting mechanism, and wireless communicationsfunctionality, where the adhesive product has a variety of differentform factors, including a multilayer roll or a sheet that includes aplurality of divisible adhesive segments. Once deployed, each tape nodeor wireless node can function, for example, as an adhesive tape, label,sticker, decal, or the like, and as a wireless communications device. A“peripheral” tape node or wireless node, also referred to as an outernode, leaf node, or terminal node, refers to a node that does not haveany child nodes.

In certain contexts, the terms “package,” “envelope,” “box,” “parcel,”“container,” “pallet,” “carton,” “wrapping,” and the like are usedinterchangeably herein to refer to an packaged item or items.

In certain contexts, the terms “wireless tracking system,” “hierarchicalcommunications network,” “distributed agent operating system,” and thelike are used interchangeably herein to refer to a system or network ofwireless nodes.

Adhesive Tape Platform

FIG. 1A shows an example asset 10 that is sealed for shipment using anexample adhesive tape platform 12 that includes embedded components of awireless transducing circuit 14 (collectively referred to herein as a“tape node”). In this example, a length 13 of the adhesive tape platform12 is dispensed from a roll 16 and affixed to the asset 10. The adhesivetape platform 12 includes an adhesive side 18 and a non-adhesive side20. The adhesive tape platform 12 can be dispensed from the roll 16 inthe same way as any conventional packing tape, shipping tape, or ducttape. For example, the adhesive tape platform 12 may be dispensed fromthe roll 16 by hand, laid across the seam where the two top flaps of theasset 10 meet, and cut to a suitable length either by hand or using acutting instrument (e.g., scissors or an automated or manual tapedispenser). Examples of such tapes include tapes having non-adhesivesides 20 that carry one or more coatings or layers (e.g., colored, lightreflective, light absorbing, and/or light emitting coatings or layers).

Referring to FIG. 1B, in some examples, the non-adhesive side 20 of thelength 13 of the adhesive tape platform 12 includes writing or othermarkings that convey instructions, warnings, or other information to aperson or machine (e.g., a bar code reader), or may simply be decorativeand/or entertaining. For example, different types of adhesive tapeplatforms may be marked with distinctive colorations to distinguish onetype of adhesive tape platform from another. In the illustrated example,the length 13 of the adhesive tape platform 12 includes atwo-dimensional bar code (e.g., a QR Code) 22, written instructions 24(i.e., “Cut Here”), and an associated cut line 26 that indicates wherethe user should cut the adhesive tape platform 12. The writteninstructions 24 and the cut line 26 typically are printed or otherwisemarked on the top non-adhesive surface 20 of the adhesive tape platform12 during manufacture. The two-dimensional bar code 22, on the otherhand, may be marked on the non-adhesive surface 20 of the adhesive tapeplatform 12 during the manufacture of the adhesive product 12 or,alternatively, may be marked on the non-adhesive surface 20 of theadhesive tape platform 12 as needed using, for example, a printer orother marking device.

In order to avoid damage to the functionality of the segments of theadhesive tape platform 12, the cut lines 26 typically demarcate theboundaries between adjacent segments at locations that are free of anyactive components of the wireless transducing circuit 14. The spacingbetween the wireless transducing circuit components 14 and the cut lines26 may vary depending on the intended communication, transducing and/oradhesive taping application. In the example illustrated in FIG. 1A, thelength of the adhesive tape platform 12 that is dispensed to seal theasset 10 corresponds to a single segment of the adhesive tape platform12. In other examples, the length of the adhesive tape platform 12needed to seal a asset or otherwise serve the adhesive function forwhich the adhesive tape platform 12 is being applied may includemultiple segments 13 of the adhesive tape platform 12, one or more ofwhich segments 13 may be activated upon cutting the length of theadhesive tape platform 12 from the roll 16 and/or applying the length ofthe adhesive tape platform to the asset 10.

In some examples, the transducing components 14 that are embedded in oneor more segments 13 of the adhesive tape platform 12 are activated whenthe adhesive tape platform 12 is cut along the cut line 26. In theseexamples, the adhesive tape platform 12 includes one or more embeddedenergy sources (e.g., thin film batteries, which may be printed, orconventional cell batteries, such as conventional watch style batteries,rechargeable batteries, or other energy storage device, such as a supercapacitor or charge pump) that supply power to the transducingcomponents 14 in one or more segments of the adhesive tape platform 12in response to being separated from the adhesive tape platform 12 (e.g.,along the cut line 26).

In some examples, each segment 13 of the adhesive tape platform 12includes its own respective energy source including energy harvestingelements that can harvest energy from the environment. In some of theseexamples, each energy source is configured to only supply power to thecomponents in its respective adhesive tape platform segment regardlessof the number of contiguous segments 13 that are in a given length ofthe adhesive tape platform 12. In other examples, when a given length ofthe adhesive tape platform 12 includes multiple segments 13, the energysources in the respective segments 13 are configured to supply power tothe transducing components 14 in all of the segments 13 in the givenlength of the adhesive tape platform 12. In some of these examples, theenergy sources are connected in parallel and concurrently activated topower the transducing components 14 in all of the segments 13 at thesame time. In other examples, the energy sources are connected inparallel and alternately activated to power the transducing components14 in respective ones of the adhesive tape platform segments 13 atdifferent time periods, which may or may not overlap.

FIG. 2 shows an example adhesive tape platform 30 that includes a set ofadhesive tape platform segments 32 each of which includes a respectiveset of embedded wireless transducing circuit components 34, and abacking sheet 36 with a release coating that prevents the adhesivesegments 32 from adhering strongly to the backing sheet 36. Eachadhesive tape platform segment 32 includes an adhesive side facing thebacking sheet 36, and an opposing non-adhesive side 40. In this example,a particular segment 32′ of the adhesive tape platform 30 has beenremoved from the backing sheet 36 and affixed to an envelope 44. Eachsegment 32 of the adhesive tape platform 30 can be removed from thebacking sheet 36 in the same way that adhesive labels can be removedfrom a conventional sheet of adhesive labels (e.g., by manually peelinga segment 32 from the backing sheet 36). In general, the non-adhesiveside 40′ of the segment 32′ may include any type of writing, markings,decorative designs, or other ornamentation. In the illustrated example,the non-adhesive side 40′ of the segment 32′ includes writing or othermarkings that correspond to a destination address for the envelope 44.The envelope 44 also includes a return address 46 and, optionally, apostage stamp or mark 48.

In some examples, segments of the adhesive tape platform 12 are deployedby a human operator. The human operator may be equipped with a mobilephone or other device that allows the operator to authenticate andinitialize the adhesive tape platform 12. In addition, the operator cantake a picture of an asset including the adhesive tape platform and anybarcodes associated with the asset and, thereby, create a persistentrecord that links the adhesive tape platform 12 to the asset. Inaddition, the human operator typically will send the picture to anetwork service and/or transmit the picture to the adhesive tapeplatform 12 for storage in a memory component of the adhesive tapeplatform 12.

In some examples, the wireless transducing circuit components 34 thatare embedded in a segment 32 of the adhesive tape platform 12 areactivated when the segment 32 is removed from the backing sheet 32. Insome of these examples, each segment 32 includes an embedded capacitivesensing system that can sense a change in capacitance when the segment32 is removed from the backing sheet 36. As explained in detail below, asegment 32 of the adhesive tape platform 30 includes one or moreembedded energy sources (e.g., thin film batteries, common disk-shapedcell batteries, or rechargeable batteries or other energy storagedevices, such as a super capacitor or charge pump) that can beconfigured to supply power to the wireless transducing circuitcomponents 34 in the segment 32 in response to the detection of a changein capacitance between the segment 32 and the backing sheet 36 as aresult of removing the segment 32 from the backing sheet 36.

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of the components of an example wirelesstransducing circuit 70 that includes a number of communication systems72, 74. Example communication systems 72, 74 include a GPS system thatincludes a GPS receiver circuit 82 (e.g., a receiver integrated circuit)and a GPS antenna 84, and one or more wireless communication systemseach of which includes a respective transceiver circuit 86 (e.g., atransceiver integrated circuit) and a respective antenna 88. Examplewireless communication systems include a cellular communication system(e.g., GSM/GPRS), a Wi-Fi communication system, an RF communicationsystem (e.g., LoRa), a Bluetooth communication system (e.g., a BluetoothLow Energy system), a Z-wave communication system, and a ZigBeecommunication system. The wireless transducing circuit 70 also includesa processor 90 (e.g., a microcontroller or microprocessor), one or moreenergy storage devices 92 (e.g., non-rechargeable or rechargeableprinted flexible battery, conventional single or multiple cell battery,and/or a super capacitor or charge pump), one or more transducers 94(e.g., sensors and/or actuators, and, optionally, one or more energyharvesting transducer components). In some examples, the conventionalsingle or multiple cell battery may be a watch style disk or button cellbattery that is associated electrical connection apparatus (e.g., ametal clip) that electrically connects the electrodes of the battery tocontact pads on the flexible circuit 116.

Examples of sensing transducers 94 include a capacitive sensor, analtimeter, a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a temperature sensor, a strainsensor, a pressure sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, a weight sensor, anoptical or light sensor (e.g., a photodiode or a camera), an acoustic orsound sensor (e.g., a microphone), a smoke detector, a radioactivitysensor, a chemical sensor (e.g., an explosives detector), a biosensor(e.g., a blood glucose biosensor, odor detectors, antibody basedpathogen, food, and water contaminant and toxin detectors, DNAdetectors, microbial detectors, pregnancy detectors, and ozonedetectors), a magnetic sensor, an electromagnetic field sensor, and ahumidity sensor. Examples of actuating (e.g., energy emitting)transducers 94 include light emitting components (e.g., light emittingdiodes and displays), electro-acoustic transducers (e.g., audiospeakers), electric motors, and thermal radiators (e.g., an electricalresistor or a thermoelectric cooler).

In some examples, the wireless transducing circuit 70 includes a memory96 for storing data, including, e.g., profile data, state data, eventdata, sensor data, localization data, security data, and one or moreunique identifiers (ID) 98 associated with the wireless transducingcircuit 70, such as a product ID, a type ID, and a media access control(MAC) ID, and control code 99. In some examples, the memory 96 may beincorporated into one or more of the processor 90 or transducers 94, ormay be a separate component that is integrated in the wirelesstransducing circuit 70 as shown in FIG. 3. The control code typically isimplemented as programmatic functions or program modules that controlthe operation of the wireless transducing circuit 70, including a tapenode communication manager that manages the manner and timing of tapenode communications, a tape node power manager that manages powerconsumption, and a tape node connection manager that controls whetherconnections with other tape nodes are secure connections or unsecureconnections, and a tape node storage manager that securely manages thelocal data storage on the node. The tape node connection manager ensuresthe level of security required by the end application and supportsvarious encryption mechanisms. The tape node power manager and tapecommunication manager work together to optimize the battery consumptionfor data communication. In some examples, execution of the control codeby the different types of tape nodes described herein may result in theperformance of similar or different functions.

FIG. 4 is a top view of a portion of an example flexible adhesive tapeplatform 100 that shows a first segment 102 and a portion of a secondsegment 104. Each segment 102, 104 of the flexible adhesive tapeplatform 100 includes a respective set 106, 108 of the components of thewireless transducing circuit 70. The segments 102, 104 and theirrespective sets of components 106, 108 typically are identical andconfigured in the same way. In some other embodiments, however, thesegments 102, 104 and/or their respective sets of components 106, 108are different and/or configured in different ways. For example, in someexamples, different sets of the segments of the flexible adhesive tapeplatform 100 have different sets or configurations of tracking and/ortransducing components that are designed and/or optimized for differentapplications, or different sets of segments of the flexible adhesivetape platform may have different ornamentations (e.g., markings on theexterior surface of the platform) and/or different (e.g., alternating)lengths.

An example method of fabricating the adhesive tape platform 100 (seeFIG. 4) according to a roll-to-roll fabrication process is described inconnection with FIGS. 6, 7A, and 7B of U.S. Pat. No. 10,262,255, issuedApr. 15, 2019, the entirety of which is incorporated herein byreference.

The instant specification describes an example system of adhesive tapeplatforms (also referred to herein as “tape nodes”) that can be used toimplement a low-cost wireless network infrastructure for performingmonitoring, tracking, and other asset management functions relating to,for example, parcels, persons, tools, equipment and other physicalassets and objects. The example system includes a set of three differenttypes of tape nodes that have different respective functionalities anddifferent respective cover markings that visually distinguish thedifferent tape node types from one another. In one non-limiting example,the covers of the different tape node types are marked with differentcolors (e.g., white, green, and black). In the illustrated examples, thedifferent tape node types are distinguishable from one another by theirrespective wireless communications capabilities and their respectivesensing capabilities.

FIG. 5A shows a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an examplesegment 102 of the flexible adhesive tape platform 100 that includes arespective set of the components of the wireless transducing circuit 106corresponding to the first tape node type (i.e., white). The flexibleadhesive tape platform segment 102 includes an adhesive layer 112, anoptional flexible substrate 110, and an optional adhesive layer 114 onthe bottom surface of the flexible substrate 110. If the bottom adhesivelayer 114 is present, a release liner (not shown) may be (weakly)adhered to the bottom surface of the adhesive layer 114. In someexamples, the adhesive layer 114 includes an adhesive (e.g., an acrylicfoam adhesive) that has a high bond strength that is sufficient toprevent removal of the adhesive segment 102 from a surface on which theadhesive layer 114 is adhered without destroying the physical ormechanical integrity of the adhesive segment 102 and/or one or more ofits constituent components. In some examples, the optional flexiblesubstrate 110 is implemented as a prefabricated adhesive tape thatincludes the adhesive layers 112, 114 and the optional release liner. Inother examples, the adhesive layers 112, 114 are applied to the top andbottom surfaces of the flexible substrate 110 during the fabrication ofthe adhesive tape platform 100. The adhesive layer 112 bonds theflexible substrate 110 to a bottom surface of a flexible circuit 116,that includes one or more wiring layers (not shown) that connect theprocessor 90, a low power wireless communication interface 81 (e.g., aZigbee, Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) interface, or other low powercommunication interface), a timer circuit 83, transducing and/or energyharvesting component(s) 94 (if present), the memory 96, and othercomponents in a device layer 122 to each other and to the energy storagecomponent 92 and, thereby, enable the transducing, tracking and otherfunctionalities of the flexible adhesive tape platform segment 102. Thelow power wireless communication interface 81 typically includes one ormore of the antennas 84, 88 and one or more of the wireless circuits 82,86.

FIG. 5B shows a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an examplesegment 103 of the flexible adhesive tape platform 100 that includes arespective set of the components of the wireless transducing circuit 106corresponding to the second tape node type (i.e., green). In thisexample, the flexible adhesive tape platform segment 103 differs fromthe segment 102 shown in FIG. 5A by the inclusion of a medium powercommunication interface 85 (e.g., a LoRa interface) in addition to thelow power communications interface that is present in the first tapenode type (i.e., white). The medium power communication interface haslonger communication range than the low power communication interface.In some examples, one or more other components of the flexible adhesivetape platform segment 103 differ, for example, in functionality orcapacity (e.g., larger energy source).

FIG. 5C shows a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an examplesegment 105 of the flexible adhesive tape platform 100 that includes arespective set of the components of the wireless transducing circuit 106corresponding to the third tape node type (i.e., black). In thisexample, the flexible adhesive tape platform segment 105 includes a highpower communications interface 87 (e.g., a cellular interface; e.g.,GSM/GPRS) and an optional medium and/or low power communicationsinterface 85. The high power communication range provides globalcoverage to available infrastructure (e.g. the cellular network). Insome examples, one or more other components of the flexible adhesivetape platform segment 105 differ, for example, in functionality orcapacity (e.g., larger energy source).

FIGS. 5A-5C show examples in which the cover layer 128 of the flexibleadhesive tape platform 100 includes one or more interfacial regions 129positioned over one or more of the transducers 94. In examples, one ormore of the interfacial regions 129 have features, properties,compositions, dimensions, and/or characteristics that are designed toimprove the operating performance of the platform 100 for specificapplications. In some examples, the flexible adhesive tape platform 100includes multiple interfacial regions 129 over respective transducers94, which may be the same or different depending on the targetapplications. Example interfacial regions include an opening, anoptically transparent window, and/or a membrane located in theinterfacial region 129 of the cover 128 that is positioned over the oneor more transducers and/or energy harvesting components 94. Additionaldetails regarding the structure and operation of example interfacialregions 129 are described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.62/680,716, filed Jun. 5, 2018, PCT Patent Application No.PCT/US2018/064919, filed Dec. 11, 2018, U.S. Pat. No. 10,885,420, issuedJan. 4, 2021, U.S. Pat. No. 10,902,310 issued Jan. 25, 2021, and U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/670,712, filed May 11, 2018.

In some examples, a flexible polymer layer 124 encapsulates the devicelayer 122 and thereby reduces the risk of damage that may result fromthe intrusion of contaminants and/or liquids (e.g., water) into thedevice layer 122. The flexible polymer layer 124 also planarizes thedevice layer 122. This facilitates optional stacking of additionallayers on the device layer 122 and also distributes forces generated in,on, or across the adhesive tape platform segment 102 so as to reducepotentially damaging asymmetric stresses that might be caused by theapplication of bending, torqueing, pressing, or other forces that may beapplied to the flexible adhesive tape platform segment 102 during use.In the illustrated example, a flexible cover 128 is bonded to theplanarizing polymer 124 by an adhesive layer (not shown).

The flexible cover 128 and the flexible substrate 110 may have the sameor different compositions depending on the intended application. In someexamples, one or both of the flexible cover 128 and the flexiblesubstrate 110 include flexible film layers and/or paper substrates,where the film layers may have reflective surfaces or reflective surfacecoatings. Example compositions for the flexible film layers includepolymer films, such as polyester, polyimide, polyethylene terephthalate(PET), and other plastics. The optional adhesive layer on the bottomsurface of the flexible cover 128 and the adhesive layers 112, 114 onthe top and bottom surfaces of the flexible substrate 110 typicallyinclude a pressure-sensitive adhesive (e.g., a silicon-based adhesive).In some examples, the adhesive layers are applied to the flexible cover128 and the flexible substrate 110 during manufacture of the adhesivetape platform 100 (e.g., during a roll-to-roll or sheet-to-sheetfabrication process). In other examples, the flexible cover 128 may beimplemented by a prefabricated single-sided pressure-sensitive adhesivetape and the flexible substrate 110 may be implemented by aprefabricated double-sided pressure-sensitive adhesive tape; both kindsof tape may be readily incorporated into a roll-to-roll orsheet-to-sheet fabrication process. In some examples, the flexiblepolymer layer 124 is composed of a flexible epoxy (e.g., silicone).

In some examples, the energy storage device 92 is a flexible batterythat includes a printed electrochemical cell, which includes a planararrangement of an anode and a cathode and battery contact pads. In someexamples, the flexible battery may include lithium-ion cells ornickel-cadmium electro-chemical cells. The flexible battery typically isformed by a process that includes printing or laminating theelectro-chemical cells on a flexible substrate (e.g., a polymer filmlayer). In some examples, other components may be integrated on the samesubstrate as the flexible battery. For example, the low power wirelesscommunication interface 81 and/or the processor(s) 90 may be integratedon the flexible battery substrate. In some examples, one or more of suchcomponents also (e.g., the flexible antennas and the flexibleinterconnect circuits) may be printed on the flexible battery substrate.

In some examples, the flexible circuit 116 is formed on a flexiblesubstrate by printing, etching, or laminating circuit patterns on theflexible substrate. In some examples, the flexible circuit 116 isimplemented by one or more of a single-sided flex circuit, a doubleaccess or back bared flex circuit, a sculpted flex circuit, adouble-sided flex circuit, a multi-layer flex circuit, a rigid flexcircuit, and a polymer thick film flex circuit. A single-sided flexiblecircuit has a single conductor layer made of, for example, a metal orconductive (e.g., metal filled) polymer on a flexible dielectric film. Adouble access or back bared flexible circuit has a single conductorlayer but is processed so as to allow access to selected features of theconductor pattern from both sides. A sculpted flex circuit is formedusing a multi-step etching process that produces a flex circuit that hasfinished copper conductors that vary in thickness along their respectivelengths. A multilayer flex circuit has three of more layers ofconductors, where the layers typically are interconnected using platedthrough holes. Rigid flex circuits are a hybrid construction of flexcircuit consisting of rigid and flexible substrates that are laminatedtogether into a single structure, where the layers typically areelectrically interconnected via plated through holes. In polymer thickfilm (PTF) flex circuits, the circuit conductors are printed onto apolymer base film, where there may be a single conductor layer ormultiple conductor layers that are insulated from one another byrespective printed insulating layers.

In the example flexible adhesive tape platform segments 102 shown inFIGS. 5A-5C, the flexible circuit 116 is a single access flex circuitthat interconnects the components of the adhesive tape platform on asingle side of the flexible circuit 116. In other examples, the flexiblecircuit 116 is a double access flex circuit that includes a front-sideconductive pattern that interconnects the low power communicationsinterface 81, the timer circuit 83, the processor 90, the one or moretransducers 94 (if present), and the memory 96, and allows through-holeaccess (not shown) to a back-side conductive pattern that is connectedto the flexible battery (not shown). In these examples, the front-sideconductive pattern of the flexible circuit 116 connects thecommunications circuits 82, 86 (e.g., receivers, transmitters, andtransceivers) to their respective antennas 84, 88 and to the processor90, and also connects the processor 90 to the one or more sensors 94 andthe memory 96. The backside conductive pattern connects the activeelectronics (e.g., the processor 90, the communications circuits 82, 86,and the transducers) on the front-side of the flexible circuit 116 tothe electrodes of the flexible battery 116 via one or more through holesin the substrate of the flexible circuit 116.

Depending on the target application, the wireless transducing circuits70 are distributed across the flexible adhesive tape platform 100according to a specified sampling density, which is the number ofwireless transducing circuits 70 for a given unit size (e.g., length orarea) of the flexible adhesive tape platform 100. In some examples, aset of multiple flexible adhesive tape platforms 100 are provided thatinclude different respective sampling densities in order to sealdifferent asset sizes with a desired number of wireless transducingcircuits 70. In particular, the number of wireless transducing circuitsper asset size is given by the product of the sampling density specifiedfor the adhesive tape platform and the respective size of the adhesivetape platform 100 needed to seal the asset. This allows an automatedpackaging system to select the appropriate type of flexible adhesivetape platform 100 to use for sealing a given asset with the desiredredundancy (if any) in the number of wireless transducer circuits 70. Insome example applications (e.g., shipping low value goods), only onewireless transducing circuit 70 is used per asset, whereas in otherapplications (e.g., shipping high value goods) multiple wirelesstransducing circuits 70 are used per asset. Thus, a flexible adhesivetape platform 100 with a lower sampling density of wireless transducingcircuits 70 can be used for the former application, and a flexibleadhesive tape platform 100 with a higher sampling density of wirelesstransducing circuits 70 can be used for the latter application. In someexamples, the flexible adhesive tape platforms 100 are color-coded orotherwise marked to indicate the respective sampling densities withwhich the wireless transducing circuits 70 are distributed across thedifferent types of adhesive tape platforms 100.

In some embodiments, the adhesive tape platforms discussed inconjunction with FIGS. 1A-5C are dispensed by a handheld tape dispenser,as discussed further in conjunction with FIGS. 11-13. The handheld tapedispenser is configured to receive a roll of tape, the roll of tapecomprising a plurality of adhesive tape platforms distributed throughoutthe roll, e.g., in uniform length segments, and to dispense the roll oftape for use by a sensing system, e.g., in an environment as illustratedin FIGS. 6A and 6B.

Deployment of Tape Nodes

FIG. 6A shows an example network communications environment 400 thatincludes a network 402 that supports communications between one or moreservers 404 executing one or more applications of a network service 408,mobile gateways 410, 412, a stationary gateway 414, and various types oftape nodes that are associated with various assets (e.g., parcels,equipment, tools, persons, and other things) The example networkcommunication environment 400 may also be referred to as a sensingsystem 400 or wireless tracking system 400. The nodes of the sensingsystem 400 may refer to the tape nodes, other wireless devices, thegateway devices, client devices, servers, and other components of thewireless sensing system 400. In some examples, the network 402 includesone or more network communication systems and technologies, includingany one or more of wide area networks, local area networks, publicnetworks (e.g., the internet), private networks (e.g., intranets andextranets), wired networks, and wireless networks. For example, thenetwork 402 includes communications infrastructure equipment, such as ageolocation satellite system 416 (e.g., GPS, GLONASS, and NAVSTAR),cellular communication systems (e.g., GSM/GPRS), Wi-Fi communicationsystems, RF communication systems (e.g., LoRa), Bluetooth communicationsystems (e.g., a Bluetooth Low Energy system), Z-wave communicationsystems, and ZigBee communication systems.

In some examples, the one or more network service applications 406leverage the above-mentioned communications technologies to create ahierarchical wireless network of tape nodes that improves assetmanagement operations by reducing costs and improving efficiency in awide range of processes, from asset packaging, asset transporting, assettracking, asset condition monitoring, asset inventorying, and assetsecurity verification. Communication across the network is secured by avariety of different security mechanisms. In the case of existinginfrastructure, a communication link the communication uses theinfrastructure security mechanisms. In case of communications amongtapes nodes, the communication is secured through a custom securitymechanism. In certain cases, tape nodes can also be configured tosupport block chain to protect the transmitted and stored data.

A set of tape nodes can be configured by the network service 408 tocreate hierarchical communications network. The hierarchy can be definedin terms of one or more factors, including functionality (e.g., wirelesstransmission range or power), role (e.g., master tape node vs.peripheral tape node), or cost (e.g., a tape node equipped with acellular transceiver vs. a peripheral tape node equipped with aBluetooth LE transceiver). Tape nodes can be assigned to differentlevels of a hierarchical network according to one or more of theabove-mentioned factors. For example, the hierarchy can be defined interms of communication range or power, where tape nodes with higherpower or longer communication range transceivers are arranged at ahigher level of the hierarchy than tape nodes with lower power or lowerrange transceivers. In another example, the hierarchy is defined interms of role, where, e.g., a master tape node is programmed to bridgecommunications between a designated group of peripheral tape nodes and agateway node or server node. The problem of finding an optimalhierarchical structure can be formulated as an optimization problem withbattery capacity of nodes, power consumption in various modes ofoperation, desired latency, external environment, etc. and can be solvedusing modern optimization methods e.g. neural networks, artificialintelligence, and other machine learning computing systems that takeexpected and historical data to create an optimal solution and cancreate algorithms for modifying the system's behavior adaptively in thefield.

The tape nodes may be deployed by automated equipment or manually. Asdescribed in the embodiments of FIGS. 11-14, the tape nodes are deployedby an automated handheld tape dispenser. In this process, a tape nodetypically is separated from a roll or sheet and adhered to an asset, orother stationary or mobile object (e.g., a structural element of awarehouse, or a vehicle, such as a delivery truck) or stationary object(e.g., a structural element of a building). This process activates thetape node and causes the tape node to communicate with a server 404 ofthe network service 408. In this process, the tape node may communicatethrough one or more other tape nodes in the communication hierarchy. Inthis process, the network server 404 executes the network serviceapplication 406 to programmatically configure tape nodes that aredeployed in the environment 400. In some examples, there are multipleclasses or types of tape nodes, where each tape node class has adifferent respective set of functionalities and/or capacities.

In some examples, the one or more network service servers 404communicate over the network 402 with one or more gateways that areconfigured to send, transmit, forward, or relay messages to the network402 and activated tape nodes that are associated with respective assetsand within communication range. Example gateways include mobile gateways410, 412 and a stationary gateway 414. In some examples, the mobilegateways 410, 412, and the stationary gateway 414 are able tocommunicate with the network 402 and with designated sets or groups oftape nodes.

In some examples, the mobile gateway 412 is a vehicle (e.g., a deliverytruck or other mobile hub) that includes a wireless communications unit416 that is configured by the network service 408 to communicate with adesignated set of tape nodes, including a peripheral tape node 418 inthe form of a label that is adhered to an asset 420 contained within aparcel 421 (e.g., an envelope), and is further configured to communicatewith the network service 408 over the network 402. In some examples, theperipheral tape node 418 includes a lower power wireless communicationsinterface of the type used in, e.g., tape node 102 (shown in FIG. 5A),and the wireless communications unit 416 is implemented by a tape node(e.g., one of tape node 103 or tape node 105, respectively shown inFIGS. 5B and 5C) that includes a lower power communications interfacefor communicating with tape nodes within range of the mobile gateway 412and a higher power communications interface for communicating with thenetwork 402. In this way, the tape nodes 418 and 416 create ahierarchical wireless network of nodes for transmitting, forwarding,bridging, relaying, or otherwise communicating wireless messages to,between, or on behalf of the peripheral tape node 418 and the networkservice 408 in a power-efficient and cost-effective way.

In some examples, the mobile gateway 410 is a mobile phone that isoperated by a human operator and executes a client application 422 thatis configured by the network service 408 to communicate with adesignated set of tape nodes, including a master tape node 424 that isadhered to a parcel 426 (e.g., a box), and is further configured tocommunicate with the network service 408 over the network 402. In theillustrated example, the parcel 426 contains a first parcel labeled orsealed by a tape node 428 and containing a first asset 430, and a secondparcel labeled or sealed by a tape node 432 and containing a secondasset 434. As explained in detail below, the master tape node 424communicates with each of the peripheral tape nodes 428, 432 andcommunicates with the mobile gateway 408 in accordance with ahierarchical wireless network of tape nodes. In some examples, each ofthe peripheral tape nodes 428, 432 includes a lower power wirelesscommunications interface of the type used in, e.g., tape node 102 (shownin FIG. 5A), and the master tape node 424 is implemented by a tape node(e.g., tape node 103, shown in FIG. 5B) that includes a lower powercommunications interface for communicating with the peripheral tapenodes 428, 432 contained within the parcel 426, and a higher powercommunications interface for communicating with the mobile gateway 410.The master tape node 424 is operable to relay wireless communicationsbetween the tape nodes 428, 432 contained within the parcel 426 and themobile gateway 410, and the mobile gateway 410 is operable to relaywireless communications between the master tape node 424 and the networkservice 408 over the wireless network 402. In this way, the master tapenode 424 and the peripheral tape nodes 428 and 432 create a hierarchicalwireless network of nodes for transmitting, forwarding, relaying, orotherwise communicating wireless messages to, between, or on behalf ofthe peripheral tape nodes 428, 432 and the network service 408 in apower-efficient and cost-effective way.

In some examples, the stationary gateway 414 is implemented by a serverexecuting a server application that is configured by the network service408 to communicate with a designated set 440 of tape nodes 442, 444,446, 448 that are adhered to respective parcels containing respectiveassets 450, 452, 454, 456 on a pallet 458. In other examples, thestationary gateway 414 is implemented by a tape node (e.g., one of tapenode 103 or tape node 105, respectively shown in FIGS. 5B and 5C) thatis adhered to, for example, a wall, column or other infrastructurecomponent of the environment 400, and includes a lower powercommunications interface for communicating with tape nodes within rangeof the stationary gateway 414 and a higher power communicationsinterface for communicating with the network 402. In one embodiment,each of the tape nodes 442-448 is a peripheral tape node and isconfigured by the network service 408 to communicate individually withthe stationary gateway 414, which relays communications from the tapenodes 442-448 to the network service 408 through the stationary gateway414 and over the communications network 402. In another embodiment, oneof the tape nodes 442-448 at a time is configured as a master tape nodethat transmits, forwards, relays, or otherwise communicate wirelessmessages to, between, or on behalf of the other tape nodes on the pallet458. In this embodiment, the master tape node may be determined by thetape nodes 442-448 or designated by the network service 408. In someexamples, the tape node with the longest range or highest remainingpower level is determined to be the master tape node. In some examples,when the power level of the current master tape node drops below acertain level (e.g., a fixed power threshold level or a threshold levelrelative to the power levels of one or more of the other tape nodes),another one of the tape nodes assumes the role of the master tape node.In some examples, a master tape node 459 is adhered to the pallet 458and is configured to perform the role of a master node for the tapenodes 442-448. In these ways, the tape nodes 442-448, 458 areconfigurable to create different hierarchical wireless networks of nodesfor transmitting, forwarding, relaying, bridging, or otherwisecommunicating wireless messages with the network service 408 through thestationary gateway 414 and over the network 402 in a power-efficient andcost-effective way.

In the illustrated example, the stationary gateway 414 also isconfigured by the network service 408 to communicate with a designatedset of tape nodes, including a master tape node 460 that is adhered tothe inside of a door 462 of a shipping container 464, and is furtherconfigured to communicate with the network service 408 over the network402. In the illustrated example, the shipping container 464 contains anumber of parcels labeled or sealed by respective peripheral tape nodes466 and containing respective assets. The master tape node 416communicates with each of the peripheral tape nodes 466 and communicateswith the stationary gateway 415 in accordance with a hierarchicalwireless network of tape nodes. In some examples, each of the peripheraltape nodes 466 includes a lower power wireless communications interfaceof the type used in, e.g., tape node 102 (shown in FIG. 5A), and themaster tape node 460 is implemented by a tape node (e.g., tape node 103,shown in FIG. 5B) that includes a lower power communications interfacefor communicating with the peripheral tape nodes 466 contained withinthe shipping container 464, and a higher power communications interfacefor communicating with the stationary gateway 414.

In some examples, when the doors of the shipping container 464 areclosed, the master tape node 460 is operable to communicate wirelesslywith the peripheral tape nodes 466 contained within the shippingcontainer 464. In an example, the master tape node 460 is configured tocollect sensor data from the peripheral tape nodes and, in someembodiments, process the collected data to generate, for example, one ormore histograms from the collected data. When the doors of the shippingcontainer 464 are open, the master tape node 460 is programmed to detectthe door opening (e.g., with an accelerometer component of the mastertape node 460) and, in addition to reporting the door opening event tothe network service 408, the master tape node 460 is further programmedto transmit the collected data and/or the processed data in one or morewireless messages to the stationary gateway 414. The stationary gateway414, in turn, is operable to transmit the wireless messages receivedfrom the master tape node 460 to the network service 408 over thewireless network 402. Alternatively, in some examples, the stationarygateway 414 also is operable to perform operations on the data receivedfrom the master tape node 460 with the same type of data produced by themaster node 459 based on sensor data collected from the tape nodes442-448. In this way, the master tape node 460 and the peripheral tapenodes 466 create a hierarchical wireless network of nodes fortransmitting, forwarding, relaying, or otherwise communicating wirelessmessages to, between, or on behalf of the peripheral tape nodes 466 andthe network service 408 in a power-efficient and cost-effective way.

In an example of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6A, there are threeclasses of tape nodes: a short range tape node, a medium range tapenode, and a long range tape node, as respectively shown in FIGS. 5A-5C.The short range tape nodes typically are adhered directly to parcelscontaining assets. In the illustrated example, the tape nodes 418, 428,432, 442-448, 466 are short range tape nodes. The short range tape nodestypically communicate with a low power wireless communication protocol(e.g., Bluetooth LE, Zigbee, or Z-wave). The medium range tape nodestypically are adhered to objects (e.g., a box 426 and a shippingcontainer 460) that are associated with multiple parcels or assets thatare separated from the medium range tape nodes by a barrier or a largedistance. In the illustrated example, the tape nodes 424 and 460 aremedium range tape nodes. The medium range tape nodes typicallycommunicate with a medium power wireless communication protocol (e.g.,LoRa or Wi-Fi). The long-range tape nodes typically are adhered tomobile or stationary infrastructure of the wireless communicationenvironment 400. In the illustrated example, the mobile gateway tapenode 412 and the stationary gateway tape node 414 are long range tapenodes. The long range tape nodes typically communicate with other nodesusing a high power wireless communication protocol (e.g., a cellulardata communication protocol). In some examples, the mobile gateway tapenode 436 is adhered to a mobile vehicle (e.g., a truck). In theseexamples, the mobile gateway 412 may be moved to different locations inthe environment 400 to assist in connecting other tape nodes to theserver 404. In some examples, the stationary gateway tape node 414 maybe attached to a stationary structure (e.g., a wall) in the environment400 with a known geographic location. In these examples, other tapenodes in the environment can determine their geographic location byquerying the gateway tape node 414.

System Environment

FIG. 6B is a diagram showing an example system environment for thesensing system 500 including the adhesive tape platform 510. The sensingsystem 500 includes one or more sections of an adhesive tape platform510, a central database and control system 520, one or more clientdevices 530, and a network 540.

Embodiments of the adhesive tape platform 510 are also described abovewith respect to FIGS. 1A-1B, 2A-2C, 3, and 4A-4C. Each section of theadhesive tape platform 510 may include a location module 511, aprocessor 512, memory 513, a communication module 514, and a sensormodule 515, according to some embodiments. A section of the adhesivetape platform 510 may also include additional and/or differentcomponents not shown in FIG. 6B, according to some embodiments. Thelocation module 511 collects data relevant to the location of thecorresponding section of the adhesive tape platform 510. The locationdata collected by the location module may be stored in the memory 513.The location data may also have computations performed on it by theprocessor 512 and may be transmitted by the communication module 514 tothe central database and control system 520 and/or one or more of theclient devices 530 via the network 540. The location data may includegeographic locations ascertained from systems including GPS, cellularnetwork systems (e.g., GSM), wireless local area networks (e.g., asystem of Wi-Fi access points), a dead-reckoning system, some otherlocation system, or some combination thereof.

The sensing system 500 may also include sensing devices and componentsdeployed in the field other than devices with the flexible adhesive tapeform factor. For example, an embodiment of the tape node 510 may includea non-flexible sensing device that may be used to track assets, interactwith other tape nodes 510, communicate with the central database andcontrol system 520 and client devices 530, perform other functions, orsome combination thereof. The tape node 510 may also include gatewaydevices or other communication devices that perform functions inconjunction with the adhesive tape platform and the sensing system 500.In some embodiments, multiple tape nodes 510 may have multiple differentfunctionalities, such as performing different types of communication(e.g., long-range, medium-range, short-range), and may be deployed andoperate together in the sensing system 500.

The location module 511 may include the one or more antennas and one ormore wireless communication interface circuits of the communicationinterface 81, according to some embodiments. The location module 511 mayinclude, for example, a GPS system that includes a GPS receiver circuit(e.g., a receiver integrated circuit) and a GPS antenna. In someembodiments, the location module 511 also includes one or more wirelesscommunication systems each of which includes a respective transceivercircuit (e.g., a transceiver integrated circuit) and a respectiveantenna. Example wireless communication systems include a cellularcommunication system (e.g., GSM/GPRS), a Wi-Fi communication system, anRF communication system (e.g., LoRa), a Bluetooth communication system(e.g., a Bluetooth Low Energy system), a Z-wave communication system,and a ZigBee communication system.

The processor 512 may be a microcontroller or microprocessor, accordingto some embodiments. The processor 512 may be an embodiment of theprocessor 90. In some embodiments, each section of the adhesive tapeplatform includes more than one processor 512. The memory 513 storessensing data, location data, and other data necessary for thefunctioning of the adhesive tape platform 510. The memory 513 may beincorporated into the one or more of the processor 512 or may be aseparate component. The memory 513 may be an embodiment of the memory96.

The communication module 514 enables communication between the adhesivetape platform 510 and the other members of the sensing system 500 viathe network 540. The communication module may include embodiments of thecommunication interface 81. In some embodiments, the communicationmodule 514 enables a segment of the adhesive tape platform 510 tocommunicate with another segment of the adhesive tape platform 510. Thecommunication module includes one or more wireless communication systemseach of which includes a respective transceiver circuit (e.g., atransceiver integrated circuit) and a respective antenna. Examplewireless communication systems include a cellular communication system(e.g., GSM/GPRS), a Wi-Fi communication system, an RF communicationsystem (e.g., LoRa), a Bluetooth communication system (e.g., a BluetoothLow Energy system), a Z-wave communication system, and a ZigBeecommunication system. The one or more wireless communication systems inthe communication module 514 may be shared with the location module 511.

The sensor module 515 includes one or more sensors and/or sensordevices. The one or more sensors may include the examples of sensingtransducers 94 described above with respect to FIG. 3. The sensor module515 collects sensor data which may be stored in the memory 513, havecomputations performed on it by the processor 512, be transmitted to oneor more of the central database and control system 520 and the one ormore client devices 530, or some combination thereof. The sensor datamay include acceleration data, velocity data, vibration data, capacitivesensing data, humidity data, audio recording data, optical sensor data,infrared sensor data, temperature data, other sensor data, or somecombination thereof. The sensor data may include examples of datacollected by sensors not described herein.

In some embodiments, different segments of the adhesive tape platform510 include different communication modules that have correspondingcommunication ranges. For example, a first tape node 510 may onlyinclude short-range communication capabilities (e.g., Bluetoothcommunications), while a second tape node 510 may include the shortrangecommunication capabilities and longer range communication capabilities(e.g., LoRA, cellular communications, or WiFi). The second tape node 510may be positioned in a location within the communication range of thefirst tape node 510. In this case, the first tape node 510 maycommunicate with other members of the sensing system 500 bycommunicating data to the second tape node 510 via the short-rangecommunication. The second tape node 510, in turn, relays the data toand/or from the other members of the sensing system 500. In someembodiments, the communication is relayed from and to the first tapenode 510 by a gateway device (stationary or mobile) that may have a formfactor different than that of an adhesive tape.

The distributed intelligent software may define how one or more devicesof the system process and operate in response to data (also referred toherein as sensor data) collected by the adhesive tape platform 510. Thesensing data includes the location data collected by the location module511, the sensor data collected by the sensor module 515, data receivedby the communication module 514 from the central database and controlsystem 520 and/or the one or more client devices 530, or somecombination thereof. Based on the sensing data, the distributedintelligent software may alter the state of the adhesive tape platform510. Altering the state of the adhesive tape platform 510 alters theactions, functions, and behavior of the location module 511, processor512, communication module 513, and the sensor module 515 of the adhesivetape platform 510. In some embodiments, altering the state of theadhesive tape platform 510 alters other aspects of the adhesive tapeplatform. The processor 512 of the adhesive tape platform executescomputations and functions based on instructions of the distributedintelligent software to alter the state of the adhesive tape platform510. Examples of various states are discussed below, with respect toFIG. 6. Instructions to alter the state of the tape node 510 may be inthe form of executable programmatic code, according to some embodiments.

In some embodiments, logic relevant to the distributed intelligentsoftware is stored in the memory 513 of the adhesive tape platform 510,or multiple segments thereof. The processor 512 may then generate andexecute the instructions for altering the state of the adhesive tapeplatform 510 based on the stored logic and corresponding sensing data.In other embodiments, the communication module 514 receives theinstructions from the central database and control center 520, theclient devices 530, or some combination thereof. In other embodiments,the logic is distributed between some combination of any one or more ofthe adhesive tape platform 510, other adhesive tape platforms, thecentral database and control system 520, and the client devices 530.

The central database and control system 520 is a system for storing data(including sensing data), running applications, transmitting/receivingdata to the adhesive tape platform 510 and the one or more clientdevices 530, and communicating with the adhesive tape platform 510 andthe one or more client devices 530. According to some embodiments, thecentral database and control system 520 is hosted on one or moreservers. The central database and control system 520 includes anapplication engine 521 and a database 522, according to someembodiments. The central database and control system 520 may includeadditional and/or different components than are shown in FIG. 6B.

The application engine 521 executes applications associated with thesensing system 500. For example, the application engine 521 may receivecommunications and data from the adhesive tape platform 510 and updatethe database 522 based on the data received from the adhesive tapeplatform 510. In another example, the application engine 521 may providedata from the database 424 to one or more of the client devices 530 andcommunicate instructions to display the data on the display 533 of theclient device.

In some embodiments, the application engine 521 performs tasks accordingto the distributed intelligent software. For example, the applicationengine 521 detects that an event has occurred based on sensing datareceived from the adhesive tape platform 510. In response to thedetected event, the application engine 521 generates instructions toalter the state of the adhesive tape platform 510 according to thedistributed intelligent software and transmits the instructions to theadhesive tape platform 510. In some embodiments, the application engine521 also generates instructions for the central database and controlsystem 520 and executes the instructions, in response to the detectedevent. The application engine 521 may also generate instructions for theclient device 530, in response to the detected event, according to someembodiments.

The database 522 stores data and logs relevant to the adhesive tapeplatform 510. The database 522 stores sensing data that it receives fromthe adhesive tape platform 510 via the network 540. The sensing data mayinclude location data (e.g., GPS coordinates, geographic coordinates,etc.), sensor data, other data relevant to monitoring an item with theadhesive tape platform 510, or some combination thereof. The database522 may also store data received from one or more client devices 530.For example, a client device 530 may scan a barcode on the adhesive tapenode 510 or on an asset being tracked by the adhesive tape node 510. Theclient device 530 then transmits a notification regarding the scanningof the barcode to the central database and control system 520 which theapplication engine 521 logs on the database 522, creating acomprehensive log of data relevant to the tracking and monitoring ofitems using the sensing system 500.

The application engine 521 may perform calculations on the sensing datastored on the database 522 and store calculated values on the database522. For example, if the central database and control system receivestime-domain sensor data, the application engine 521 may calculate afrequency spectrum for the sensor data by performing a fast Fouriertransform (FFT) on the time-domain sensor data and store the frequencyspectrum on the database 522. In some embodiments, the applicationengine 521 uses a trained machine learning model to perform computationsrelevant to the adhesive tape platform 510. A trained machine learningmodel may be used to detect events in the stored sensing data anddetermine rules that are part of the distributed intelligent software,according to some embodiments. For example, the application engine 521may input sensing data from the adhesive tape platform 510 to a trainedmachine learning model which outputs instructions for altering the stateof the adhesive tape platform 510 in response. The use of a machinelearning model to generate instructions according to the distributedintelligent software is described in further detail below, with respectto FIGS. 13 and 14.

The one or more client devices 530 includes computing devices used byusers, human operators, and/or administrators of the sensing system 500.Examples of the client devices 530 include personal computers,smartphones, barcode scanning devices, and other computational devices.A client device 530 may be a dedicated computing device for interactingwith the adhesive tape platform 510 and the central database and controlsystem 520. Each client device 530 includes a processor 531, memory 532,and optionally a display 533, according to some embodiments. A clientdevice 530 may also include a camera, a sensor, a barcode scanningapparatus, communication systems, other components, or some combinationthereof. Each client device may execute one or more applications forinteracting with the adhesive tape platform 510 and the central databaseand control system 520. For example, a client device may run anapplication that receives sensing data collected by the adhesive tapeplatform and provided from the central database and control system 520,store the sensing data in the memory 532, and display the sensing dataon the display 533. A client device 530 may include additional and/ordifferent components than are shown in FIG. 6B, according to someembodiments.

In some examples, a human operator uses one or more client devices 530to interact directly with the adhesive tape platform. The human operatormay be equipped with a client device 530 (e.g., mobile phone or otherdevice) that allows the operator to authenticate and initialize theadhesive tape platform 510. In addition, the operator can take a pictureof an asset using the client device 530 including the adhesive tapeplatform 510 and any barcodes associated with the asset and, thereby,create a persistent record that links the adhesive tape platform 510 tothe asset. In addition, the human operator typically sends the pictureto a network service and/or transmit the picture to the adhesive tapeplatform 510 for storage in the memory 513 and/or to the centraldatabase and control system 520 for storage in the database 424. Thedisplay 533 may display sensing data, notifications, instructions, auser interface, or some combination thereof. In some embodiments, aclient device 530 may communicate directly with the adhesive tapeplatform 510, for example, using Bluetooth communications, near-fieldcommunications (NFC), Wi-Fi, some other communication method, or somecombination thereof. In further embodiments, the adhesive tape platform510 transmits sensing data directly to one or more client devices 530.

In some embodiments, the client device 530 performs tasks based on thedistributed intelligent software. An application running on theprocessor 531 detects that an event has occurred based on sensing datareceived from the adhesive tape platform 510 and/or from the centraldatabase and control system 520. Alternatively, the processor 431 mayreceive an indication from the adhesive tape platform 510 or the centraldatabase and control system 420 indicating such event has occurred,without requiring the processor 531 to processes the sensing data andexpressly detect the event therein. In response to the detected event,the processor 531 generates instructions to alter the state of theadhesive tape platform 510 based on the distributed intelligent software(part of which may be stored on the memory 532) and transmits theinstructions to the adhesive tape platform 510. In some embodiments, theprocessor 531 also generates instructions for the central database andcontrol system 520 and the client device 530 transmits the instructionsto the central database and control system 520, in response to thedetected event. The processor 531 may also generate instructions for theclient device 530 and execute the generated instructions, in response tothe detected event, according to some embodiments.

The adhesive tape platform 510, the central database and control system520, and the client devices 530 are configured to communicate via thenetwork 540, which may comprise any combination of local area networks,wide area networks, public network (e.g., the internet), privatenetworks (e.g., intranets and extranets), using wired and/or wirelesscommunication system. In one embodiment, the network 540 uses standardcommunications technologies and/or protocols. For example, the network540 includes communication links using technologies such as Ethernet,802.11, worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX), 3G, 4G,code division multiple access (CDMA), digital subscriber line (DSL),geolocation satellite systems (e.g., GPS, GLONASS, and NAVSTAR),cellular communication systems (e.g., GSM/GPRS), Wi-Fi communicationsystems, RF communication systems (e.g., LoRa), Bluetooth communicationsystems (e.g., a Bluetooth Low Energy system), Z-wave communicationsystems, ZigBee communication systems, etc. Examples of networkingprotocols used for communicating via the network 540 includemultiprotocol label switching (MPLS), transmission controlprotocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP), hypertext transport protocol(HTTP), simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP), and file transfer protocol(FTP). Data exchanged over the network 120 may be represented using anysuitable format, such as hypertext markup language (HTML) or extensiblemarkup language (XML). In some embodiments, all or some of thecommunication links of the network 540 may be encrypted using anysuitable technique or techniques.

The distributed intelligent software includes logic for managing each ofthe adhesive tape platform segments 510, the central database andcontrol system 520, and the client devices 530. In some embodiments,computation related to the distributed intelligent software isdistributed among one or more of the adhesive tape platform 510, otheradhesive tape platforms, the central database and control system 520,and the client devices 530, and combinations thereof. For example, logicrelevant to the behavior of the tape nodes 510 may be stored locally onthe memory 513 of each of the tape nodes 510. The processor 512 of thetape node 510 may then access the stored logic and execute the logicbased on sensing data that the sensor module 515, the location module511, and the communication module 515 has collected, altering the stateof the tape node 510 without receiving any commands from the centraldatabase and control system 520 and/or a client device 530.

In other embodiments, the logic relevant to the behavior of the tapenodes 510 may be stored and executed on the central database and controlsystem 520. For example, the distributed intelligence engine 521 mayexecute the logic in response to receiving sensing data from one of thetape nodes 510 and transmit instructions to the tape node 510 to alterits state. In further embodiments, the processor 512 of the tape nodes510 does not execute any of the intelligent software logic and onlyalters the state of the tape node 510 in response to commands receivedfrom the central database and control system 520 or the client devices530.

In some embodiments, the logic relevant to the behavior of the tapenodes 510 may be stored on the memory 532 of the client device 530 andexecuted by the processor 531. For example, the processor 531 mayexecute the logic in response to receiving sensing data from one of thetape nodes 510, resulting in the client device 530 transmitting one ormore instruction to the tape node 510 to alter its state.

Hierarchical Wireless Communications Network

FIG. 7 shows an example hierarchical wireless communications network oftape nodes 470. In this example, the short range tape node 472 and themedium range tape node 474 communicate with one another over theirrespective low power wireless communication interfaces 476, 478. Themedium range tape node 474 and the long range tape node 480 communicatewith one another over their respective medium power wirelesscommunication interfaces 478, 482. The long range tape node 480 and thenetwork server 404 communicate with one another over the high powerwireless communication interface 484. In some examples, the low powercommunication interfaces 476, 478 establish wireless communications withone another in accordance with the Bluetooth LE protocol, the mediumpower communication interfaces 452, 482 establish wirelesscommunications with one another in accordance with the LoRacommunications protocol, and the high power communication interface 484establishes wireless communications with the server 404 in accordancewith a cellular communications protocol.

In some examples, the different types of tape nodes are deployed atdifferent levels in the communications hierarchy according to theirrespective communications ranges, with the long range tape nodesgenerally at the top of the hierarchy, the medium range tape nodesgenerally in the middle of the hierarchy, and the short range tape nodesgenerally at the bottom of the hierarchy. In some examples, thedifferent types of tape nodes are implemented with different featuresets that are associated with component costs and operational costs thatvary according to their respective levels in the hierarchy. This allowssystem administrators flexibility to optimize the deployment of the tapenodes to achieve various objectives, including cost minimization, assettracking, asset localization, and power conservation.

In some examples, a server 404 of the network service 408 designates atape node at a higher level in a hierarchical communications network asa master node of a designated set of tape nodes at a lower level in thehierarchical communications network. For example, the designated mastertape node may be adhered to a parcel (e.g., a box, pallet, or shippingcontainer) that contains one or more tape nodes that are adhered to oneor more packages containing respective assets. In order to conservepower, the tape nodes typically communicate according to a schedulepromulgated by the server 404 of the network service 408. The scheduleusually dictates all aspects of the communication, including the timeswhen particular tape nodes should communicate, the mode ofcommunication, and the contents of the communication. In one example,the server 404 transmits programmatic Global Scheduling DescriptionLanguage (GSDL) code to the master tape node and each of the lower-leveltape nodes in the designated set. In this example, execution of the GSDLcode causes each of the tape nodes in the designated set to connect tothe master tape node at a different respective time that is specified inthe GSDL code, and to communicate a respective set of one or more datapackets of one or more specified types of information over therespective connection. In some examples, the master tape node simplyforwards the data packets to the server network node 404, eitherdirectly or indirectly through a gateway tape node (e.g., the long rangetape node 416 adhered to the mobile vehicle 412 or the long range tapenode 414 adhered to an infrastructure component of the environment 400).In other examples, the master tape node processes the informationcontained in the received data packets and transmits the processedinformation to the server network node 404.

FIG. 8 shows an example method of creating a hierarchical communicationsnetwork. In accordance with this method, a first tape node is adhered toa first asset in a set of associated assets, the first tape nodeincluding a first type of wireless communication interface and a secondtype of wireless communication interface having a longer range than thefirst type of wireless communication interface (FIG. 8, block 490). Asecond tape node is adhered to a second asset in the set, the secondtape node including the first type of wireless communication interface,wherein the second tape node is operable to communicate with the firsttape node over a wireless communication connection established betweenthe first type of wireless communication interfaces of the first andsecond tape nodes (FIG. 8, block 492). An application executing on acomputer system (e.g., a server 404 of a network service 408)establishes a wireless communication connection with the second type ofwireless communication interface of the first tape node, and theapplication transmits programmatic code executable by the first tapenode to function as a master tape node with respect to the second tapenode (FIG. 8, block 494).

In some embodiments, the second tape node is assigned the role of themaster tape node with respect to the first tape node.

Distributed Agent Operating System

As used herein, the term “node” refers to both a tape node and anon-tape node unless the node is explicitly designated as a “tape node”or a “non-tape node.” In some embodiments, a non-tape node may have thesame or similar communication, sensing, processing and otherfunctionalities and capabilities as the tape nodes described herein,except without being integrated into a tape platform. In someembodiments, non-tape nodes can interact seamlessly with tape nodes.Each node is assigned a respective unique identifier.

The following disclosure describes a distributed software operatingsystem that is implemented by distributed hardware nodes executingintelligent agent software to perform various tasks or algorithms. Insome embodiments, the operating system distributes functionalities(e.g., performing analytics on data or statistics collected or generatedby nodes) geographically across multiple intelligent agents that arebound to items (e.g., parcels, containers, packages, boxes, pallets, aloading dock, a door, a light switch, a vehicle such as a deliverytruck, a shipping facility, a port, a hub, etc.). In addition, theoperating system dynamically allocates the hierarchical roles (e.g.,master and slave roles) that nodes perform over time in order to improvesystem performance, such as optimizing battery life across nodes,improving responsiveness, and achieving overall objectives. In someembodiments, optimization is achieved using a simulation environment foroptimizing key performance indicators (PKIs).

In some embodiments, the nodes are programmed to operate individually orcollectively as autonomous intelligent agents. In some embodiments,nodes are configured to communicate and coordinate actions and respondto events. In some embodiments, a node is characterized by its identity,its mission, and the services that it can provide to other nodes. Anode's identity is defined by its capabilities (e.g., battery life,sensing capabilities, and communications interfaces). A node's mission(or objective) is defined by the respective program code, instructions,or directives it receives from another node (e.g., a server or a masternode) and the actions or tasks that it performs in accordance with thatprogram code, instructions, or directives (e.g., sense temperature everyhour and send temperature data to a master node to upload to a server).A node's services define the functions or tasks that it is permitted toperform for other nodes (e.g., retrieve temperature data from aperipheral node and send the received temperature data to the server).At least for certain tasks, once programmed and configured with theiridentities, missions, and services, nodes can communicate with oneanother and request services from and provide services to one anotherindependently of the server.

Thus, in accordance with the runtime operating system every agent knowsits objectives (programmed). Every agent knows whichcapabilities/resources it needs to fulfill objective. Every agentcommunicates with every other node in proximity to see if it can offerthe capability. Examples include communicate data to the server,authorize going to lower power level, temperature reading, send an alertto local hub, send location data, triangulate location, any boxes insame group that already completed group objectives.

Nodes can be associated with items. Examples of an item includes, butare not limited to for example, a package, a box, pallet, a container, atruck or other conveyance, infrastructure such as a door, a conveyorbelt, a light switch, a road, or any other thing that can be tracked,monitored, sensed, etc. or that can transmit data concerning its stateor environment. In some examples, a server or a master node mayassociate the unique node identifiers with the items.

Communication paths between tape and/or non-tape nodes may berepresented by a graph of edges between the corresponding assets (e.g.,a storage unit, truck, or hub). In some embodiments, each node in thegraph has a unique identifier. A set of connected edges between nodes isrepresented by a sequence of the node identifiers that defines acommunication path between a set of nodes.

Referring to FIG. 9A, a node 520 (Node A) is associated with a package522 (Package A). In some embodiments, the node 520 may be implemented asa tape node that is used to seal the package 522 or it may beimplemented as a label node that is used to label the package 522;alternatively, the node 520 may be implemented as a non-tape node thatis inserted within the package 522 or embedded in or otherwise attachedto the interior or exterior of the package 522. In the illustratedembodiment, the node 520 includes a low power communications interface524 (e.g., a Bluetooth Low Energy communications interface). Anothernode 526 (Node B), which is associated with another package 530 (PackageB), is similarly equipped with a compatible low power communicationsinterface 528 (e.g., a Bluetooth Low Energy communications interface).

In an example scenario, in accordance with the programmatic code storedin its memory, node 526 (Node B) requires a connection to node 520 (NodeA) to perform a task that involves checking the battery life of Node A.Initially, Node B is unconnected to any other nodes. In accordance withthe programmatic code stored in its memory, Node B periodicallybroadcasts advertising packets into the surrounding area. When the othernode 520 (Node A) is within range of Node B and is operating in alistening mode, Node A will extract the address of Node B andpotentially other information (e.g., security information) from anadvertising packet. If, according to its programmatic code, Node Adetermines that it is authorized to connect to Node B, Node A willattempt to pair with Node B. In this process, Node A and Node Bdetermine each other's identities, capabilities, and services. Forexample, after successfully establishing a communication path 532 withNode A (e.g., a Bluetooth Low Energy formatted communication path), NodeB determines Node A's identity information (e.g., master node), Node A'scapabilities include reporting its current battery life, and Node A'sservices include transmitting its current battery life to other nodes.In response to a request from Node B, Node A transmits an indication ofits current battery life to Node B.

Referring to FIG. 9B, a node 534 (Node C) is associated with a package535 (Package C). In the illustrated embodiment, the Node C includes alow power communications interface 536 (e.g., a Bluetooth Low Energycommunications interface), and a sensor 537 (e.g., a temperaturesensor). Another node 538 (Node D), which is associated with anotherpackage 540 (Package D), is similarly equipped with a compatible lowpower communications interface 542 (e.g., a Bluetooth Low Energycommunications interface).

In an example scenario, in accordance with the programmatic code storedin its memory, Node D requires a connection to Node C to perform a taskthat involves checking the temperature in the vicinity of Node C.Initially, Node D is unconnected to any other nodes. In accordance withthe programmatic code stored in its memory, Node D periodicallybroadcasts advertising packets in the surrounding area. When Node C iswithin range of Node D and is operating in a listening mode, Node C willextract the address of Node D and potentially other information (e.g.,security information) from the advertising packet. If, according to itsprogrammatic code, Node C determines that it is authorized to connect toNode D, Node C will attempt to pair with Node D. In this process, Node Cand Node D determine each other's identities, capabilities, andservices. For example, after successfully establishing a communicationpath 544 with Node C (e.g., a Bluetooth Low Energy formattedcommunication path), Node D determines Node C's identity information(e.g., a peripheral node), Node C's capabilities include retrievingtemperature data, and Node C's services include transmitting temperaturedata to other nodes. In response to a request from Node D, Node Ctransmits its measured and/or locally processed temperature data to NodeD.

Referring to FIG. 9C, a pallet 550 is associated with a master node 551that includes a low power communications interface 552, a GPS receiver554, and a cellular communications interface 556. In some embodiments,the master node 551 may be implemented as a tape node or a label nodethat is adhered to the pallet 550. In other embodiments, the master node551 may be implemented as a non-tape node that is inserted within thebody of the pallet 550 or embedded in or otherwise attached to theinterior or exterior of the pallet 550.

The pallet 550 provides a structure for grouping and containing packages559, 561, 563 each of which is associated with a respective peripheralnode 558, 560, 562 (Node E, Node F, and Node G). Each of the peripheralnodes 558, 560, 562 includes a respective low power communicationsinterface 564, 566, 568 (e.g., Bluetooth Low Energy communicationsinterface). In the illustrated embodiment, each of the nodes E, F, G andthe master node 551 are connected to each of the other nodes over arespective low power communications path (shown by dashed lines).

In some embodiments, the packages 559, 561, 563 are grouped togetherbecause they are related. For example, the packages 559, 561, 563 mayshare the same shipping itinerary or a portion thereof. In an examplescenario, the master pallet node 550 scans for advertising packets thatare broadcasted from the peripheral nodes 558, 560, 562. In someexamples, the peripheral nodes broadcast advertising packets duringrespective scheduled broadcast intervals. The master node 551 candetermine the presence of the packages 559, 561, 563 in the vicinity ofthe pallet 550 based on receipt of one or more advertising packets fromeach of the nodes E, F, and G. In some embodiments, in response toreceipt of advertising packets broadcasted by the peripheral nodes 558,560, 562, the master node 551 transmits respective requests to theserver to associate the master node 551 and the respective peripheralnodes 558, 560, 562. In some examples, the master tape node requestsauthorization from the server to associate the master tape node and theperipheral tape nodes. If the corresponding packages 559, 561, 563 areintended to be grouped together (e.g., they share the same itinerary orcertain segments of the same itinerary), the server authorizes themaster node 551 to associate the peripheral nodes 558, 560, 562 with oneanother as a grouped set of packages. In some embodiments, the serverregisters the master node and peripheral tape node identifiers with agroup identifier. The server also may associate each node ID with arespective physical label ID that is affixed to the respective package.

In some embodiments, after an initial set of packages is assigned to amulti-package group, the master node 551 may identify another packagearrives in the vicinity of the multi-package group. The master node mayrequest authorization from the server to associate the other packagewith the existing multi-package group. If the server determines that theother package is intended to ship with the multi-package group, theserver instructs the master node to merge one or more other packageswith currently grouped set of packages. After all packages are groupedtogether, the server authorizes the multi-package group to ship. In someembodiments, this process may involve releasing the multi-package groupfrom a containment area (e.g., customs holding area) in a shipmentfacility.

In some embodiments, the peripheral nodes 558, 560, 562 includeenvironmental sensors for obtaining information regarding environmentalconditions in the vicinity of the associated packages 559, 561, 563.Examples of such environmental sensors include temperature sensors,humidity sensors, acceleration sensors, vibration sensors, shocksensors, pressure sensors, altitude sensors, light sensors, andorientation sensors.

In the illustrated embodiment, the master node 551 can determine its ownlocation based on geolocation data transmitted by a satellite-basedradio navigation system 570 (e.g., GPS, GLONASS, and NAVSTAR) andreceived by the GPS receiver 554 component of the master node 551. In analternative embodiment, the location of the master pallet node 551 canbe determined using cellular based navigation techniques that use mobilecommunication technologies (e.g., GSM, GPRS, CDMA, etc.) to implementone or more cell-based localization techniques. After the master node551 has ascertained its location, the distance of each of the packages559, 561, 563 from the master node 551 can be estimated based on theaverage signal strength of the advertising packets that the master node551 receives from the respective peripheral node. The master node 551can then transmit its own location and the locations of the packagenodes E, F, and G to a server over a cellular interface connection witha cell tower 572. Other methods of determining the distance of each ofthe packages 559, 561, 563 from the master node 551, such as ReceivedSignal-Strength Index (RSSI) based indoor localization techniques, alsomay be used.

In some embodiments, after determining its own location and thelocations of the peripheral nodes, the master node 551 reports thelocation data and the collected and optionally processed (e.g., eitherby the peripheral nodes peripheral nodes 558, 560, 562 or the masternode 551) sensor data to a server over a cellular communication path 571on a cellular network 572.

In some examples, nodes are able to autonomously detect logisticsexecution errors if packages that are supposed to travel together nolonger travel together, and raise an alert. For example, a node (e.g.,the master node 551 or one of the peripheral nodes 558, 560, 562) alertsthe server when the node determines that a particular package 559 isbeing or has already been improperly separated from the group ofpackages. The node may determine that there has been an improperseparation of the particular package 559 in a variety of ways. Forexample, the associated node 558 that is bound to the particular package559 may include an accelerometer that generates a signal in response tomovement of the package from the pallet. In accordance with itsintelligent agent program code, the associated node 558 determines thatthe master node 551 has not disassociated the particular package 559from the group and therefore broadcasts advertising packets to themaster node, which causes the master node 551 to monitor the averagesignal strength of the advertising packets and, if the master node 551determines that the signal strength is decreasing over time, the masternode 551 will issue an alert either locally (e.g., through a speakercomponent of the master node 551) or to the server.

Referring to FIG. 9D, a truck 580 is configured as a mobile node ormobile hub that includes a cellular communications interface 582, amedium power communications interface 584, and a low powercommunications interface 586. The communications interfaces 580-586 maybe implemented on one or more tape and non-tape nodes. In anillustrative scenario, the truck 580 visits a storage facility, such asa warehouse 588, to wirelessly obtain temperature data generated bytemperature sensors in the medium range nodes 590, 592, 594. Thewarehouse 588 contains nodes 590, 592, and 594 that are associated withrespective packages 591, 593, 595. In the illustrated embodiment, eachnode 590-594 is a medium range node that includes a respective mediumpower communications interface 596, 602, 608, a respective low powercommunications interface 598, 604, 610 and one or more respectivesensors 600, 606, 612. In the illustrated embodiment, each of thepackage nodes 590, 592, 594 and the truck 580 is connected to each ofthe other ones of the package nodes through a respective medium powercommunications path (shown by dashed lines). In some embodiments, themedium power communications paths are LoRa formatted communicationpaths.

In some embodiments, the communications interfaces 584 and 586 (e.g., aLoRa communications interface and a Bluetooth Low Energy communicationsinterface) on the node on the truck 580 is programmed to broadcastadvertisement packets to establish connections with other network nodeswithin range of the truck node. A warehouse 588 includes medium rangenodes 590, 592, 594 that are associated with respective containers 591,593, 595 (e.g., packages, boxes, pallets, and the like). When the trucknode's low power interface 586 is within range of any of the mediumrange nodes 590, 592, 594 and one or more of the medium range nodes isoperating in a listening mode, the medium range node will extract theaddress of truck node and potentially other information (e.g., securityinformation) from the advertising packet. If, according to itsprogrammatic code, the truck node determines that it is authorized toconnect to one of the medium range nodes 590, 592, 594, the truck nodewill attempt to pair with the medium range node. In this process, thetruck node and the medium range node determine each other's identities,capabilities, and services. For example, after successfully establishinga communication path with the truck node (e.g., a Bluetooth Low Energyformatted communication path 614 or a LoRa formatted communication path617), the truck node determines the identity information for the mediumrange node 590 (e.g., a peripheral node), the medium range node'scapabilities include retrieving temperature data, and the medium rangenode's services include transmitting temperature data to other nodes.Depending of the size of the warehouse 588, the truck 580 initially maycommunicate with the nodes 590, 592, 594 using a low powercommunications interface (e.g., Bluetooth Low Energy interface). If anyof the anticipated nodes fails to respond to repeated broadcasts ofadvertising packets by the truck 580, the truck 580 will try tocommunicate with the non-responsive nodes using a medium powercommunications interface (e.g., LoRa interface). In response to arequest from the truck node 584, the medium range node 590 transmits anindication of its measured temperature data to the truck node. The trucknode repeats the process for each of the other medium range nodes 592,594 that generate temperature measurement data in the warehouse 588. Thetruck node reports the collected (and optionally processed, either bythe medium range nodes 590, 592, 594 or the truck node) temperature datato a server over a cellular communication path 616 with a cellularnetwork 618.

Referring to FIG. 9E, a master node 630 is associated with an item 632(e.g., a package) and grouped together with other items 634, 636 (e.g.,packages) that are associated with respective peripheral nodes 638, 640.The master node 630 includes a GPS receiver 642, a medium powercommunications interface 644, one or more sensors 646, and a cellularcommunications interface 648. Each of the peripheral nodes 638, 640includes a respective medium power communications interface 650, 652 andone or more respective sensors 654, 656. In the illustrated embodiment,the peripheral and master nodes are connected to one another other overrespective pairwise communications paths (shown by dashed lines). Insome embodiments, the nodes 630 638, 640 communicate through respectiveLoRa communications interfaces over LoRa formatted communications paths658, 660, 662.

In the illustrated embodiment, the master and peripheral nodes 638, 638,640 include environmental sensors for obtaining information regardingenvironmental conditions in the vicinity of the associated packages 632,634, 636. Examples of such environmental sensors include temperaturesensors, humidity sensors, acceleration sensors, vibration sensors,shock sensors, pressure sensors, altitude sensors, light sensors, andorientation sensors.

In accordance with the programmatic code stored in its memory, themaster node 630 periodically broadcasts advertising packets in thesurrounding area. When the peripheral nodes 638, 640 are within range ofmaster node 630, and are operating in a listening mode, the peripheralnodes 638, 640 will extract the address of master node 630 andpotentially other information (e.g., security information) from theadvertising packets. If, according to their respective programmaticcode, the peripheral nodes 638, 640 determine that they are authorizedto connect to the master node 630, the peripheral nodes 638, 640 willattempt to pair with the master node 630. In this process, theperipheral nodes 638, 640 and the master node and the peripheral nodesdetermine each other's identities, capabilities, and services. Forexample, after successfully establishing a respective communication path658, 660 with each of the peripheral nodes 638, 640 (e.g., a LoRaformatted communication path), the master node 630 determines certaininformation about the peripheral nodes 638, 640, such as their identityinformation (e.g., peripheral nodes), their capabilities (e.g.,measuring temperature data), and their services include transmittingtemperature data to other nodes.

After establishing LoRa formatted communications paths 658, 660 with theperipheral nodes 638, 640, the master node 630 transmits requests forthe peripheral nodes 638, 640 to transmit their measured and/or locallyprocessed temperature data to the master node 630.

In the illustrated embodiment, the master node 630 can determine its ownlocation based on geolocation data transmitted by a satellite-basedradio navigation system 666 (e.g., GPS, GLONASS, and NAVSTAR) andreceived by the GPS receiver 642 component of the master node 630. In analternative embodiment, the location of the master node 630 can bedetermined using cellular based navigation techniques that use mobilecommunication technologies (e.g., GSM, GPRS, CDMA, etc.) to implementone or more cell-based localization techniques. After the master node630 has ascertained its location, the distance of each of the packages634, 636 from the master node 630 can be estimated based on the averagesignal strength of the advertising packets that the master node 630receives from the respective peripheral node. The master node 630 canthen transmit its own location and the locations of the package nodes E,F, and G to a server over a cellular interface connection with a celltower 672. Other methods of determining the distance of each of thepackages 634, 636 from the master node 630, such as ReceivedSignal-Strength Index (RSSI) based indoor localization techniques, alsomay be used.

In some embodiments, after determining its own location and thelocations of the peripheral nodes, the master node 630 reports thelocation data the collected and optionally processed (e.g., either bythe peripheral nodes peripheral nodes 634, 636 or the master node 630)sensor data to a server over a cellular communication path 670 on acellular network 672.

Referring to FIG. 10A, in some examples, each of one or more of thesegments 270, 272 of a tracking adhesive product 274 includes arespective circuit 275 that delivers power from the respective energysource 276 to the respective tracking circuit 278 (e.g., a processor andone or more wireless communications circuits) in response to an event.In some of these examples, the wake circuit 275 is configured totransition from an off state to an on state when the voltage on the wakenode 277 exceeds a threshold level, at which point the wake circuittransitions to an on state to power-on the segment 270. In theillustrated example, this occurs when the user separates the segmentfrom the tracking adhesive product 274, for example, by cutting acrossthe tracking adhesive product 274 at a designated location (e.g., alonga designated cut-line 280). In particular, in its initial, un-cut state,a minimal amount of current flows through the resistors R1 and R2. As aresult, the voltage on the wake node 270 remains below the thresholdturn-on level. After the user cuts across the tracking adhesive product274 along the designated cut-line 280, the user creates an open circuitin the loop 282, which pulls the voltage of the wake node above thethreshold level and turns on the wake circuit 275. As a result, thevoltage across the energy source 276 will appear across the trackingcircuit 278 and, thereby, turn on the segment 270. In particularembodiments, the resistance vale of resistor R1 is greater than theresistance value of R2. In some examples, the resistance values ofresistors R1 and R2 are selected based on the overall design of theadhesive product system (e.g., the target wake voltage level and atarget leakage current).

In some examples, each of one or more of the segments of a trackingadhesive product includes a respective sensor and a respective wakecircuit that delivers power from the respective energy source to therespective one or more of the respective tracking components 278 inresponse to an output of the sensor. In some examples, the respectivesensor is a strain sensor that produces a wake signal based on a changein strain in the respective segment. In some of these examples, thestrain sensor is affixed to a tracking adhesive product and configuredto detect the stretching of the tracking adhesive product segment as thesegment is being peeled off a roll or a sheet of the tracking adhesiveproduct. In some examples, the respective sensor is a capacitive sensorthat produces a wake signal based on a change in capacitance in therespective segment. In some of these examples, the capacitive sensor isaffixed to a tracking adhesive product and configured to detect theseparation of the tracking adhesive product segment from a roll or asheet of the tracking adhesive product. In some examples, the respectivesensor is a flex sensor that produces a wake signal based on a change incurvature in the respective segment. In some of these examples, the flexsensor is affixed to a tracking adhesive product and configured todetect bending of the tracking adhesive product segment as the segmentis being peeled off a roll or a sheet of the tracking adhesive product.In some examples, the respective sensor is a near field communicationssensor that produces a wake signal based on a change in inductance inthe respective segment.

FIG. 10B shows another example of a tracking adhesive product 294 thatdelivers power from the respective energy source 276 to the respectivetracking circuit 278 (e.g., a processor and one or more wirelesscommunications circuits) in response to an event. This example issimilar in structure and operation as the tracking adhesive product 294shown in FIG. 10A, except that the wake circuit 275 is replaced by aswitch 296 that is configured to transition from an open state to aclosed state when the voltage on the switch node 277 exceeds a thresholdlevel. In the initial state of the tracking adhesive product 294, thevoltage on the switch node is below the threshold level as a result ofthe low current level flowing through the resistors R1 and R2. After theuser cuts across the tracking adhesive product 294 along the designatedcut-line 280, the user creates an open circuit in the loop 282, whichpulls up the voltage on the switch node above the threshold level toclose the switch 296 and turn on the tracking circuit 278.

FIG. 10C shows a diagrammatic cross-sectional front view of an exampleadhesive tape platform 300 and a perspective view of an example asset302. Instead of activating the adhesive tape platform in response toseparating a segment of the adhesive tape platform from a roll or asheet of the adhesive tape platform, this example is configured tosupply power from the energy source 302 to turn on the wirelesstransducing circuit 306 in response to establishing an electricalconnection between two power terminals 308, 310 that are integrated intothe adhesive tape platform. In particular, each segment of the adhesivetape platform 300 includes a respective set of embedded trackingcomponents, an adhesive layer 312, and an optional backing sheet 314with a release coating that prevents the segments from adhering stronglyto the backing sheet 314. In some examples, the power terminals 308, 310are composed of an electrically conductive material (e.g., a metal, suchas copper) that may be printed or otherwise patterned and/or depositedon the backside of the adhesive tape platform 300. In operation, theadhesive tape platform can be activated by removing the backing sheet314 and applying the exposed adhesive layer 312 to a surface thatincludes an electrically conductive region 316. In the illustratedembodiment, the electrically conductive region 316 is disposed on aportion of the asset 302. When the adhesive backside of the adhesivetape platform 300 is adhered to the asset with the exposed terminals308, 310 aligned and in contact with the electrically conductive region316 on the asset 302, an electrical connection is created through theelectrically conductive region 316 between the exposed terminals 308,310 that completes the circuit and turns on the wireless transducingcircuit 306. In particular embodiments, the power terminals 308, 310 areelectrically connected to any respective nodes of the wirelesstransducing circuit 306 that would result in the activation of thetracking circuit 306 in response to the creation of an electricalconnection between the power terminals 308, 310.

In some examples, after a tape node is turned on, it will communicatewith the network service to confirm that the user/operator who isassociated with the tape node is an authorized user who hasauthenticated himself or herself to the network service 54. In theseexamples, if the tape node cannot confirm that the user/operator is anauthorized user, the tape node will turn itself off.

Monitoring Equipment with Wireless Sensor Nodes

Wireless sensor nodes 510, each wireless sensor node 510 including asensor, are deployed in the sensing system 500 to monitor variouscomponents of equipment and objects of interest, according to someembodiments. Some of the wireless sensor nodes 510 may be directlyattached or adhered to components of equipment and objects of interestin order to measure properties of the components of equipment andobjects of interest.

FIG. 11 shows an example environment 1100 for a fleet of wireless sensornodes 1105 and wireless nodes 1110A, 1110B, 1115 of the sensing system500 for generating sensing data on a section of equipment andcommunicating the sensing data with the sensing system 500, according tosome embodiments. The wireless sensor nodes 1105 includes the wirelesssensor nodes 1105A-1105H that are each attached to a different componentof an equipment 1120. Each of the wireless sensor nodes 1110 includes asensor incorporated into the wireless sensor node that generates sensingdata on the respective component of the equipment 1120. In the exampleof FIG. 11, the equipment 1120 is a pumping system for moving liquid ina facility. The equipment 1120 includes a first unit 1120A and a secondunit 1120B which are attached to each other.

The wireless sensor node 1105A measures a position of a valve of thepumping system 1120 using an accelerometer or position sensor to measurewhen the valve moves. The wireless sensor node 1105B is attached to arotational component of the pumping system 1120 internal to the pumpingsystem 1120 and measures the speed of rotation of the rotationalcomponent using an accelerometer. The wireless sensor node 1105Cincludes a temperature sensor and measures the temperature of thepumping system 1120. The wireless sensor node 1105D includes a flowsensor and detects the flow of liquid through a pipe using the flowsensor. The wireless sensor node 1105E includes a vibration sensor andmeasure vibrations of the first unit 1120A of the pumping system 1120.The wireless sensor node 1105F includes a strain sensor and measures theamount of axle strain that an axle of the pumping system 1120 isexperiencing. The wireless sensor node 1105G includes a vibration sensorand measures vibration of the second unit 1120B of the pumping system1120. The wireless sensor node 1105H includes a sensor for measuring theoil level in an oil tank of the pumping system 1120. The wirelesssensing node 1105I includes an electrical current sensor (e.g., a halleffect sensor) for measuring the electrical current flowing through aplug or wire of the pumping system 1120.

The sensing data of each of the wireless sensor nodes 1105 may be usedin combination or separately to detect whether or not the equipment 1120is functioning properly. The wireless sensor nodes 1105 may generatesensing data to determine and learn baseline data when the equipment1120 is functioning normally. Sensing data detected by the wirelesssensor nodes 1105 that deviates from the baseline may signify amalfunctioning of the equipment 1120. The sensing data may be used incombination to detect specific types of malfunctioning or to confirmthat the equipment is indeed malfunctioning. In cases where one of thewireless sensor nodes 1105 is generating data that is deviating from thebaseline, the other wireless sensor nodes 1105 can be used to confirmwhether the equipment 1120 is functioning. For example, the wirelesssensor node 1105B may detect a change in the rotational speed of therotational component of the pumping system 1120. This may signify thatthe pumping system 1120 is malfunctioning. To confirm whether this isthe case, the sensing system 500 compares the sensing data from otherwireless nodes 1105. For example, the sensing system 500 may check thewireless sensor node 1105D to see if there is any detected change inliquid flow within a threshold amount of time from the detected changein rotational speed. If not, the sensing system 500 may determine thatthe data from the wireless sensing node 1105B is an outlier and that theequipment 1120 is still functioning properly. In further embodiments,the sensing system 500 may also determine that the wireless sensor node1105D is malfunctioning and requires inspection or replacement. Thewireless sensing nodes 1105 wirelessly transmit sensing data to arespective unit controller 1110 via a wireless communication interface.The wireless sensing nodes 1105 may selectively transmit sensing data,in response to detecting an event, according to some embodiments. Forexample, the wireless sensing nodes 1105 may only transmit sensing datato a respective unit controller 1110 when the detected sensing datadeviates beyond a threshold amount from the baseline data. Each of thewireless sensing nodes 1105 is associated with a unit controller that islocated within a close distance from the respective wireless sensingnodes 1105. In the example of FIG. 11, the wireless sensor nodes1105A-1105F are associated with and communicate with the unit controller1110A, and the wireless sensor 1105G-1105I are associated with andcommunicate with the unit controller 1110B.

The unit controllers 1110 (including unit controller 1110A and 1110B)are wireless nodes attached to and associated with respective units ofthe equipment 1120 and are configured to provide intelligence (e.g.,decision making on when to transmit information to other wireless nodes)for making determinations on whether relevant events have occurred basedon sensing data received from the wireless sensor nodes 1105. In case ofdetecting certain events based on the received sensing data, the unitcontrollers 1110 may communicate selected sensing data and the detectedevents to the section controller 1115 which is associated with theentirety of the equipment 1120. The wireless communication channelbetween the wireless sensing nodes 1105 and the unit controllers 1110may be a low latency communication channel, according to someembodiments. In further embodiments, the low latency communicationchannel may be a short distance communication channel, such as the onesdescribed with respect to the low power communication interface 476 inFIG. 7. This provides the ability for a unit controller to synchronouslycapture sensing data from multiple wireless sensing nodes and detectevents in real time based on sensing data from multiple wireless sensingnodes. This is important for capturing events that occur at multiplewireless sensing nodes relatively at the same time. Detecting eventsoccurring within a threshold amount of time from one another allows foraccurate reporting of equipment failure or events that may reveal a needfor maintenance on the equipment 1120. For example, the threshold amountof time may be 10 ms. If a first anomaly is detected in the sensing dataof a first wireless sensing node and a second anomaly is detected in thesensing data of a second wireless sensing node within the thresholdamount of time from the first event, the respective unit controller 1110that receives the sensing data from both the first and the secondsensing node may determine that an equipment failure is likely. Inresponse, the respective unit controller 1110 may transmit a reportincluding parts of the sensing data to the section controller 1115.Using conventional systems, where the intelligence for determiningevents occurs at a server or an edge node requiring longer distancehigher latency communication channels, it may be difficult to detectevents across multiple wireless sensor nodes with high enough resolutionin time to accurately determine equipment failure or other conditions ofthe equipment 1120. By using low latency communications between thewireless sensor nodes 1105 and the unit controllers 1110 which areplaced within a short distance (e.g., less than 10 feet) from thewireless sensor nodes, events and conditions relevant to the equipment1120 may be detected with higher accuracy.

The section controller 1115 is a wireless node associated with theequipment 1120 and configured to receive communications from the unitcontrollers 1110. In some embodiments, the section controller is alsoconfigured to receive communications directly from one or more of thewireless sensing nodes 1105. The section controller 1115 may providefurther intelligence (e.g., decision making on when to transmitinformation to the sensing system 500) and may transmit sensing data tothe sensing system 500 in response to receiving data from one or more ofthe unit controllers 1110 and detecting certain events based on thereceived data. In some embodiments, the wireless sensor nodes 1105 areembodiments of the short range tape node 472, the unit controllers 1110are embodiments of the medium range tape node 474, and the sectioncontroller 1115 is an embodiment of the long range tape node 480. Inthis case, the sensing data may be relayed from the wireless sensornodes 1105 to servers or other nodes of the sensing system 500 (notshown in FIG. 11) via the section controller 1115. The sectioncontroller 1115 may issue instructions to the unit controller, accordingto some embodiments. The instructions may be relayed from the server,client devices, or other nodes of the sensing system 500. Each unitcontroller 1110 may also issue instructions to respective wirelesssensor nodes that are associated with the unit controller 1110.

FIG. 11 only shows one section of equipment 1120 in a facility. Thefacility may include multiple instances of the section of equipment 1120including their own respective wireless sensor nodes 1105, unitcontrollers 1110, and section controllers 1115. The sensing systemallows for simultaneous monitoring of each section of equipment 1120 inthe facility. By distributing parts of the computation and intelligencefor detecting events based off of the sensing data generated by thewireless sensing nodes 1105 at the wireless sensing nodes 1105 and thewireless nodes 1110 and 1115, the sensing system 500 creates a meshnetwork of nodes that can detect events with high accuracy and lowlatency. Distributing the intelligence also aids in conserving batterylife for the wireless sensor nodes 1105 and the wireless nodes 1110 and1115. Compared to a system that continuously transmits data from itsnodes, the wireless sensor nodes are configured to selectively transmitdata in response to detecting certain events and anomalies based on thegenerated sensing data. By reducing the amount of transmissions, energyconsumption and congestion of the wireless communication airwaves isreduced.

Distributed Intelligent Software

The distributed intelligent software may include rules, protocols,logic, and/or instructions for one or more of the nodes (includingwireless sensor nodes and wireless nodes), the central database andcontrol system, and the client devices in various scenarios. Thedistributed intelligent software instructs the wireless sensor nodes toenter different states based on the rules and based on the sensing datacollected by the wireless sensor nodes.

The states may include, but are not limited to the following examples: alow power mode where the tape node operates with minimal powerconsumption; a low communication mode where the tape node limits theamount of transmitted/received data and/or frequency of transmitting andreceiving data; a high communication mode where the tape node increasesthe amount of transmitted/received data and/or frequency of transmittingand receiving data; a sensing mode in which sensors included in the tapenode collect sensor data, and the sensor data is transmitted to membersof the sensing system 500; a no-sensing mode in which sensors includedin the tape node are deactivated and do not collect sensor data; a lowsensing mode which limits the amount of sensor data collected andtransmitted (in some embodiments, this includes decreasing the samplingfrequency of the sensors and frequency of transmitting the sensor data);a high sensing mode which increases the amount of sensor data collectedand transmitted. (in some embodiments, this includes increasing thesampling frequency of the sensors and frequency of transmitting thesensor data); a sensor configuration mode where a configuration orproperty of a sensor in the tape node is changed; a sensor activationmode where a specific set of sensors in the tape node are activated(e.g., if a tape node has an acoustic sensor, an accelerometer, and anoptical sensor, activating the operation of the accelerometer and theacoustic sensor (e.g., in response to the optical sensor detecting anabove threshold value)); a search mode where the tape node searches fora client device in proximity of the tape node to communicate with, aheartbeat mode where the tape node intermittently transmits a signal tothe central database and control system to indicate normal functionalityof the tape node; an alert mode where the tape node transmits an alertto the central database and control system, a client device of adelivery employee (handler), a client device of a customer, a clientdevice of a final recipient, a client device of an administrator, orsome combination thereof; a data processing mode where the tape nodecalculates values (RMS values, peak values, spectrum analysis, fastFourier transform (FFT) of data, peak frequency, a time stamp, arelative time a value is reached for a measurement, or other calculatedvalues) based on collected sensing data and only transmits thecalculated values a spectral band mode where the tape node collectsmeasurements (e.g., vibration data) and/or calculates values in the formof a spectrum (e.g., a frequency spectrum) but only transmits a portionof the spectrum (e.g., data in a frequency band that is smaller than thefull range of frequency-domain data that is collected); a full spectrummode where the tape node node collects measurements (e.g., vibrationdata) and/or calculates values in the form of a spectrum (e.g., a rangeof frequencies, a range of times, etc. . . . ) and transmits the entirespectrum; a full data mode where the tape node transmits all the sensingdata that it has collected; a data history mode where the tape nodetransmits historical sensing data that it has stored in the memory ofthe tape node; a high fidelity location mode which increases theresolution and accuracy of location data that is collected andtransmitted to the central database and control system (in someembodiments, this includes increasing the sampling frequency of locationdata and/or the frequency of transmitting the location data, and inother embodiments, this includes activating a GPS module on the tapenode and collecting GPS-based location data); a low fidelity locationmode which reduces the resolution and accuracy of location data that iscollected and transmitted to the central database and control system (insome embodiments, this includes decreasing the sampling frequency oflocation data and/or the frequency of transmitting the location data andin other embodiments, this includes deactivating a GPS module on thetape node and omitting GPS data in the sensing data, while the tape nodeis in this mode); and an airplane mode where some of the wirelesscommunication is deactivated based on air travel regulation. The statesthat the tape node can enter may include additional and/or alternatestates not listed above. The tape node may be in multiple statessimultaneously, according to some embodiments. For example, the tapenode may be in both a high sensing mode and a high communication mode,as described above.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart depicting steps implemented, via execution byone or more processors of the adhesive tape platform, central databaseand control system, client device, or any combination thereof, by thedistributed intelligent software, according to some embodiments. Thesteps 1200 include the adhesive tape platform initiating 1210 in aninitial state. The initial 1200 state may be any of the states describedabove or it may be another state. For example, the adhesive tapeplatform may initiate in the low communication state. The adhesive tapeplatform then aggregates and transmits 1220 sensing data according tothe protocols of the initial state. The adhesive tape platform maytransmit some or all of the sensing data to the central database andcontrol system and/or client devices, based on the protocols of theinitial state. Relevant data aggregated by the adhesive tape platformduring the aggregation and transmitting step 1220 are stored 1230. Theadhesive tape platform may store 1230 the relevant data in its ownmemory, according to some embodiments. The central database and orcontrol system may store 1230 the relevant data in its database ifaggregated data was received from the adhesive tape platform in step1220, according to some embodiments. Similarly, a client device maystore 1230 the aggregated data in its memory if aggregated data wasreceived from the adhesive tape platform in step 1220 and/or if data istransmitted from the central database and control system.

Based on the relevant data and based on the logic defined in thedistributed intelligent software, an event is detected 1240. The eventindicates that the relevant data satisfies one or more of the rulesand/or conditions included in the distributed intelligent software. Forexample, if the relevant data includes sensor data that vibrations on atracked item exceed a high threshold, “a high vibration” event may bedetected. If no event is detected, the process repeats, starting at step1220.

The events may include, but are not limited to the following examples: asensor in the tape node has taken a measurement that is above athreshold value; a sensor in the tape node has taken a measurement thatis below a threshold value; a sensor in the tape node has taken ameasurement that is below or equal to a high threshold value and aboveor below a low threshold value; values of sensing data within afrequency band are higher than a threshold value associated with thefrequency band; values of sensing data within a frequency band are lowerthan a threshold value associated with the frequency band, values ofsensing data within a frequency band are higher than or equal to a lowthreshold value and lower than or equal to a high threshold valueassociated with the frequency band; a sensor in the tape node is unableto take a measurement (e.g., the sensor is malfunctioning); atwo-dimensional bar code on the tape node is scanned by a client device;a client device has initiated communication with the tape node; after aperiod of time has elapsed after a sensor in the tape node has taken ameasurement that is above a threshold value the sensor takes anothermeasurement that is also above the threshold value; after a period oftime has elapsed after a sensor in the tape node has taken a measurementthat is above a threshold value, the sensor takes another measurementthat is now below the threshold value; after a period of time haselapsed after a sensor in the tape node has taken a measurement that isbelow a threshold value; the sensor takes another measurement that isalso below the threshold value; after a period of time has elapsed aftera sensor in the tape node has taken a measurement that is below athreshold value, the sensor takes another measurement that is now abovethe threshold value; after a period of time has elapsed after a sensorin the tape node has taken a measurement that is above a first thresholdvalue and below a second threshold value; the sensor takes anothermeasurement that is also above the first threshold value and below thesecond threshold value; after a period of time has elapsed after asensor in the tape node has taken a measurement that is above a firstthreshold value and below a second threshold value the sensor takesanother measurement that is now below the first threshold value or abovethe second threshold value; a location of the tape node is within athreshold proximity of a target location; a specific duration of timehas elapsed since a preceding event (e.g., 5 days have passed since thetwo-dimensional bar code was scanned); stored energy on an energystorage device (e.g., a battery) on the tape node is below a thresholdvalue or above a threshold value; a specific type of sensor (e.g., lightsensor) on the tape node detects a measured signal that is above athreshold value or below a threshold value (e.g., a light sensor detectsan above threshold presence of light); the tape node receives acommunication from another tape node; the tape node receives aconfiguration file from another tape node, a gateway device, a clientdevice, the central database and control system, or some combinationthereof; the tape node receives data indicating that another tape nodein proximity to itself has a battery level below a threshold value orabove a threshold value; and the tape node detects another tape node inproximity to the tape node.

In response to detecting 1240 the event, execution of the distributedintelligent software causes 1250 the tape node to alter its state. Asdiscussed above, the instructions may be generated by one or more of thetape nodes, generated and transmitted to the tape node by the centraldatabase and control system, generated and transmitted to the tape nodeby the one or more client devices, or some combination thereof. The tapenode then enters a state based on the instruction 1250 from thedistributed intelligent software. For example, the tape node may enter ahigh sensing mode, as described above. In some embodiments, the tapenode may also exit the initial state based on the instruction 1250according to the distributed intelligent software.

The distributed intelligent software also instructs 1260 the centraldatabase and control system and the one or more client devices to takecorresponding actions, in response to detecting 1240 the event. In someembodiments, execution of the distributed intelligent software causes(e.g., instructs) 1260 the central database and control center to takeone or more of the following actions, based on the detected event:transmit a notification to a client device, for example an alert;generate and transmit instructions to the tape node (e.g., instructionsto alter the state of the tape node); store a log of the detected event;store a log indicating that the tape node has altered its state; storedata received from the tape node and/or client devices; transmit sensordata to a client device; and transmit instructions to a client device(e.g., instructions to update a display on the client device). Theinstructions for the central database and control system may includeactions not listed above. The distributed intelligent software may issuemultiple instructions simultaneously or sequentially. For example, thecentral database and control system may receive instructions to bothstore a log of the detected event and transmit a notification to aclient device.

In some embodiments, the distributed intelligent software causes 1260 aclient device to take one or more of the following actions, based on thedetected event: display a notification on the display of the clientdevice (e.g., an alert); transmit instructions to the tape node (e.g.,instructions to alter the state of the tape node); store a log of thedetected event in the client device's memory; store a log indicatingthat the tape node has altered its state in the client device's memory;store data received from the tape node and/or the central database andcontrol system in the client device's memory; transmit data to thecentral database and control system; transmit instructions to thecentral database and control system. The instructions for client devicesmay include actions not listed above. The distributed intelligentsoftware may issue multiple instructions simultaneously or sequentially.For example, the client device may receive instructions to both store alog of the detected event and display a notification on the display ofthe client device.

FIGS. 13 and 14 are flowcharts showing example steps executed accordingto the distributed intelligent software. In the example in FIGS. 13 and14, an indicator measurement is included in the sensor data collectedusing one or more sensors of a tape node (e.g., tape node 510). Forexample, a tape node 510 including a pressure sensor may be adhered toan asset, and the indicator measurement is the pressure sensed by thepressure sensor. The event being detected in the example of FIGS. 13 and14 is the indicator measurement being above a high threshold value. Thehigh threshold value is a parameter of the distributed intelligentsoftware that is relevant to the object being monitored. In some cases,the high threshold value is set by a human operator or administrator ofthe sensing system 500. In other cases, the high threshold value may beset by a machine learning model. For example, the high threshold valuemay be a parameter that is determined during training of the machinelearning model.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing example steps executed according to thedistributed intelligent software. The tape node 510 enters 1310 a lowcommunication mode state. The tape node may enter 1310 a lowcommunication mode state when the tape node is initiated based on thedistributed intelligent software, according to some embodiments. Thetape node takes measurements 1320 using one or more sensors on thesensor device. The measurements are aggregated as sensor data. Thesensor data includes an indicator measurement, where the indicatormeasurement is relevant to an object that the sensor device ismonitoring. For example, the indicator measurement may be a peakfrequency of vibrations monitored by a vibration sensor in the tape node510. Some or all of the sensor data may be stored on the memory 513 ofthe tape node 510. In some embodiments, some or all of the sensor datais transmitted to the central database and communication system 520and/or one or more client devices 530 each of which may store the sensordata in the database 522 or the memory 432, respectively.

In the low communication mode, the tape node 510 has limitedcommunications with the central database and control system 520. In thisexample, the tape node 510 does not transmit all of the sensor datacollected. Of the sensor data, the tape node 510 only transmits theindicator measurement to the central database and control system 520.The tape node 510 transmits data to the central database and controlsystem at a low frequency (e.g., the tape node 510 transmits theindicator measurement every 5 hours). In other embodiments, the tapenode enters additional and/or different state in step 1310.

After step 1320, if the indicator measurement is higher than or equal toa high threshold value, the tape node 510 executes instructions to alterits state, according to the distributed intelligent software. In thisexample, the tape node 510 exits the low communication mode state andenters a high communication mode state 1340 according to the distributedintelligent software. In some embodiments, the logic of the distributedintelligent software including the high threshold value is stored on thememory 513 of the tape node 510, and the tape node 510 determines if theindicator measurement is above the high threshold value. In this case,the tape node 510 generates the instructions to alter its stateaccording to the distributed intelligent software. In other embodiments,the tape node 510 transmits the indicator measurement to the centraldatabase and control system 520, and the central database and controlsystem 520 determines if the indicator measurement is above the highthreshold value. In response to determining that the indicatormeasurement is above the high threshold, the central database andcontrol system 520 generates and transmits the instructions to the tapenode 510 to exit the low communication mode state and enter the highcommunication mode state 1340, according to the distributed intelligentsoftware. Implementing and generating instructions at the tape node, thedistributed intelligent software provides the advantage that fewercommunication transmissions are necessary. This reduces battery drain onthe tape node because it is not transmitting data to, and receiving datafrom, the central database and control system. Furthermore, thisincreases the scalability of many tape nodes because it reducesbandwidth used by the central database and control system. In otherembodiments, the tape node 510 transmits the indicator measurement to aclient device 530, and the client device 530 determines if the indicatormeasurement is above the high threshold value. In response todetermining that the indicator measurement is above the high thresholdvalue, the client device 530 then transmits instructions to the tapenode 510 to exit the low communication mode state and enter the highcommunication mode state 1340, according to the distributed intelligentsoftware. Additional steps executed after the tape nod 510 enters thehigh communication mode 1340 are discussed below, with respect to FIG.14.

In the high communication mode, the tape node 510 transmits a highervolume of data than in the low communication mode. The tape node 510 mayalso transmit data more frequently in the high communication mode thanin the low communication mode (e.g., the tape node transmits data every5 seconds). In this example, the tape node 510 transmits all of thesensor data it is collecting to the central database and control system520, rather than just the indicator measurement. In other embodiments,the tape node enters additional and/or different states than the highcommunication mode in step 1340.

After step 1320, if the indicator measurement is below the highthreshold value, the tape node 510 remains 1350 in the low communicationmode state. The tape node 510 proceeds to transmit 1360 sensor data tothe central database and communication system 520 and the client device530 according to protocols of the low communication mode. The process isthen repeated starting at step 1320.

As discussed above, in the example described with respect to FIGS. 6 and13, battery life may be extended without compromising the ability todetect certain events or violations by using the distributed intelligentsoftware to control aspects of the tape nodes' functions. In otherembodiments, the distributed intelligent software provides the benefitof improved detection of the violations. For example, entering the highcommunication mode and a high sensing mode (where the sampling rate ofthe sensors in the tape nodes is increased) may improve the ability forthe sensing system to detect anomalous behavior in the assets beingmonitored by providing more granular data to users and/or the centraldatabase and control system.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing example steps executed continuing fromstep 1340 in FIG. 13 after the tape node 510 enters the highcommunication mode, according to the distributed intelligent software.The steps of FIG. 14 may also be implemented without implementing thesteps of FIG. 13. In response to the indicator measurement being abovethe high threshold value, the tape node is instructed to enter 1340 thehigh communication mode state, according to the distributed intelligentsoftware. The tape node 510 proceeds to take measurements 1410 using itsone or more sensors. In some embodiments, the tape node 510 also entersa high sensing mode state at step 1340, and the tape node 510 takesmeasurements 1410 at a higher sampling rate than in its initial state.

Following the high communication mode protocol, the tape node 510transmits 1420 the sensor data that it collects in step 1410 to thecentral database and control system 520. The indicator measurement isincluded in the sensor data. If the indicator measurement included inthe measurements collected in steep 1320 is higher than or equal to thehigh threshold value, the tape node remains 1430 in the highcommunication mode. The process then repeats starting from step 1340.

If the indicator measurement is below the high threshold value, thecentral database and control system 520 generates instructions to alterthe state of the tape node 510 and transmits the instructions to thetape node 510, according to the distributed intelligent software. Inother embodiments, the tape node 510 generates the instructions andexecutes them without needing to communicate with the central databaseand control system 520. In other embodiments, a client device 530generates and transmits the instructions. In this example, the tape nodeexits the high communication mode and enters the low communication modestate 1440. The tape node then begins the process shown in FIG. 13,starting at step 1320.

Although FIGS. 13 and 14 only show steps in relation to a single highthreshold, the distributed intelligent software may consider multiplethresholds when instructing the adhesive tape platform 510, the centraldatabase and control system 520, and the one or more client devices 530.For example, in the process shown in FIG. 14, the distributedintelligent software may include instructions to alter the state of thetape node 510 in the high communication mode in response to theindicator measurement being higher than a second high threshold.

Vibration and Temperature Monitoring

The adhesive tape platform 510 may be used in some applications forvibration and temperature monitoring, according to some embodiments. Inthis case, a tape node may include at least one of a vibration sensorand a temperatures sensor. In some embodiments, each tape node includesboth a vibration sensor and a temperature sensor. In other embodiments,a first tape node including a vibration sensor is used to measurevibrations, and a second tape node including a temperature sensor isused to measure temperature. The first tape node and second tape nodemay be installed on an item of interest in proximity to each other, insome examples. In other examples, the first tape node and the secondtape node may be installed at different positions on the item ofinterest.

FIG. 15 shows an example of a tape node being used for vibration andtemperature sensing. In the example of FIG. 15, the tape node 1510 isadhered to a section of a pipe 1520 that has a liquid flowing throughit. The embodiment of FIG. 15 may also apply equally for gas flowingthrough the pipe 1520. The liquid may be hot or may transfer heat to thepipe, in some cases. The vibration of the section of the pipe 1520 ismonitored in order to determine a flow rate of the liquid flowingthrough the pipe 810, in some embodiments. In some cases, the vibrationmonitoring may be used to determine additional and/or alternateproperties besides flow rate of a liquid through the pipe 610.

The tape node 1510 is an embodiment of the segment 102 of the adhesivetape platform 100. A non-adhesive side of the tape node 1510 is shown inFIG. 15, including a two-dimensional bar code 1511 that appears on theadhesive side of the tape node 1510 and a sensor marking 1512 that alsoappears on the non-adhesive side of the tape node 1510. The sensormarking 1512 indicates the position of one or more sensors that areincluded in the tape node 1510, according to some embodiments. In otherembodiments, the tape node 1510 does not include the sensor marking1512.

In the example shown in FIG. 15, the tape node 1510 includes at leastone vibration sensor and at least one temperature sensor. In otherembodiments, the tape node 1510 includes different configurations ofsensors, types of sensors, number of sensors, or some combinationthereof. For example, the tape node 1510 may only include a vibrationsensor for applications where only vibration sensing is relevant. Inanother example, the tape node 1510 includes a vibration sensor forvibration sensing and another tape node including a temperature sensoris adhered at a different position on the section of the pipe 1520 fortemperature sensing. In other embodiments, other configurations of tapenodes may be used, including a different number of tape nodes, differentplacements of the tape nodes, different types of tape nodes, or somecombinations thereof.

The tape node 1510 wirelessly transmits sensing data collected by itssensors, including data on the vibrations and temperature of the pipe1520, to an associated embodiment of the central database and controlsystem 520. In some embodiments, the tape node 1510 also transmitssensing data to one or more client devices. An embodiment of a clientdevice 530 may be used to scan the two-dimensional bar code 1511. Thismay be done to register the tape node 1510 in a log or database,initialize the tape node 1510, pair the tape node 1510 with the clientdevice, for other functions, or some combination thereof.

The tape node 1510 measures vibrations of the section of the pipe 1520using a vibration sensor, according to some embodiments. The vibrationsensor may use one or more of the following sensors to measurevibrations: an accelerometer (piezeoelectric-based accelerometer,capacitive-based accelerometer, piezoresistive accelerometer, MEMS-basedaccelerometer, MEMS resonator-based accelerometer); a strain sensor; avelocity sensor; a microphone or acoustic pressure sensor; an Optical orlaser-based sensor; a capacitive sensor or another sensor configured todetect vibrations. Vibration may be monitored using vibration sensingdata including acceleration data, velocity data, displacement data,acoustic pressure (e.g., audio) data, other data relevant to calculatingthe vibration, or some combination thereof.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram 1600 illustrating an example where multipletape nodes are used to monitor various items at different locations in amanufacturing building 1610 and collect sensor data on the items in amanufacturing building, according to some embodiments. The locations inthe manufacturing building 1610 include a manufacturing wing 1620, apumping area 1630, a pumping Area 1640, and a building and networkcontrols area 1650. In this example, the manufacturing wing 1620 is anarea where the flow rate (using vibration measurements) of liquidthrough pipes and the temperature of the liquid is being monitored usingmultiple tape nodes, as shown in FIG. 21. In some cases, the vibrationmonitoring may be used to determine other properties than flow rate of aliquid.

The manufacturing wing 1620 includes a section of a pipe 1621 that hasits vibrations and temperature monitored with a tape node 1622. Themanufacturing wing 1620 includes another section of a pipe 1623 that isbeing monitored with another tape node 1624. The liquid flowing throughthe pipe 1621 may be the same or different from the liquid flowingthrough the pipe 1623.

The adhesive tape platform is used for safety reasons, according to someembodiments. For example, if the flow rate or the temperature of aliquid through pipe 1621 or pipe 1623 is too high, it may create anunsafe condition in the manufacturing wing 1620. In other cases, theadhesive tape platform is used to measure performance. For example, ifthe flow rate or the temperature of a liquid through pipe 1621 or 1623is too low, it may cause lower efficiency of tools in the manufacturingwing.

The pumping area 1630 includes a pump 1631 connected to the pipe 1621.The pump 1631 controls the flow of the liquid flowing through the pipe1621. For example, the pump 1631 may control a pressure in the pipe 1621that moves liquid into the pipe 1621. The pumping area 1630 is in aseparate location from the manufacturing wing 1620. A tape node 1632 isused to monitor vibrations and temperature of the pump 1631. Forexample, the tape node 1632 may be adhered to a surface of the pump1631.

The pumping area 1640 includes a pump 1641 connected to the pipe 1623.The pump 1641 controls the flow of the liquid flowing through the pipe1623. For example, the pump 1641 may control a pressure in the pipe 1623that moves liquid into the pipe 1623. The pumping area 1630 is in aseparate location from the manufacturing wing 1620 and the pumping area1630. A tape node 1642 is used to monitor vibrations and temperature ofthe pump 1641. For example, the tape node 1642 may be adhered to asurface of the pump 1641.

The building and network controls area 1650 is an area used for themanagement of tools, operations, personnel, processes, and otherfunctions of the manufacturing building 1610. The building and networkcontrols may be an area where a floor manager or some other humanoperator oversees the operations of the manufacturing building 1610. Thebuilding and network controls area 1650 includes at least one clientdevice 1651 that is used to communicate with the tape nodes, 1622, 1624,1632, 1642, controls for the pump 1631, controls for the pump 1641, andthe associated central database and control system 520. The clientdevice 1651 may also communicate with other client devices, tools,machinery, or other devices in the manufacturing building 1610. Theclient device 1651 is an embodiment of the client device 530.

The tape nodes 1621, 1624, 1632, 1642 are embodiments of the tape node1510, and each of the tape nodes 1621, 1624, 1632, 1642 includes atleast one vibration sensor and at least one temperature sensor,according to some embodiments.

The distributed intelligent software includes logic and instructions forthe operations of the tape nodes 1621, 1624, 1632, 1642, the clientdevice 1651, and the associated central database and control system 520.The distributed intelligent software may be customized with parametersand protocols (e.g., threshold values, emergency protocols) that arespecific to the applications where the sensing system 500 is being used.For example, the distributed intelligent software may be customized by auser inputting parameters and protocols relevant to the sensing systemto the central database and control system using a client device. Thecentral database and control system may then distribute configurationsettings (e.g., a configuration file) to the tape nodes which includethe customized parameters and protocols. In some examples, the centraldatabase and control system does not need to provide the configurationsettings to all of the tape nodes, and the tape nodes that already havethe configuration settings can transmit configuration settings relevantto the distributed intelligent software to other tape nodes. In otherembodiments, the tape nodes may receive configuration settings from aclient device. For example, the client device may transmit configurationsettings to a tape node when the client device scans the two-dimensionalbarcode on the tape node. An example of a procedure executed by thesensing system 500 deployed in the manufacturing building 1610 accordingto the distributed intelligent software is discussed below with respectto FIG. 17.

FIG. 17 is a flow chart showing example steps executed according to thedistributed intelligent software by components of the sensing systemdeployed in the manufacturing building 1610 shown in FIG. 16. Theexample of FIG. 17 involves the tape node 1622 which monitors thevibrations and temperature of pipe 1621 and the tape node 1632 whichmonitors the vibrations and temperature of pipe 1631. The steps shown inFIG. 17 may similarly apply to the tape node 1624 which monitors thevibrations and temperature of pipe 1623 and the tape node 1642 whichmonitors the vibrations and temperature of the pump 1641. The steps inFIG. 17 illustrate one example of the logic and protocols included inthe distributed intelligent software for the example application ofmonitoring in the manufacturing building 1610, but the distributedintelligent software and its applications are not limited thereto.

The tape node 1622 and the tape node 1632 initiate in the lowcommunication mode state. In one example of FIG. 17, a client devicescans a bar code on each of the tape nodes 1622 and 1632 uponinstallation of the tape nodes on the respective pipes 1621, 1622. Theclient device, another tape node, a gateway device, an associatedcentral database and control system, another source, or some combinationthereof transmits configuration settings to the tape node 1622 and 1632to provision the tape nodes to a given task. The provisioning mayinclude downloading certain instructions and logic to the tape node, theclient device, and/or the central database and control system toimplement a given distributed intelligent software logic for theassociated task of the provisioned tape node. For example, theconfiguration settings may be part of a configuration file that istransmitted to the tape nodes 1622 and 1632. The configuration file mayinclude programs and software instructions, including those part of thedistributed intelligent software. After provisioning, the tape nodes mayoperate according to the intelligent software to control data captureand communication steps as discussed herein.

In the low communication mode, the tape node 1622 and the tape node 1632limit the communication they perform with the associated centraldatabase and control system 520. The tape nodes 1622, 1632 each collecta full range of vibration and temperature sensor data. In this example,the full range of vibration and temperature sensor data include afrequency spectrum (e.g., velocity/acceleration/energy/amplitude valuesover a range of frequencies) calculated for the vibration measurementsby performing a fast Fourier transform (FFT) on the vibration sensordata. The tape nodes 1622, 1632 only transmit a set of indicatormeasurements in the low communication mode to the central database andcontrol system 520, instead of the full range of vibration andtemperature sensor data. The indicator measurements include select FFTfrequency-domain values at three indicator frequencies (100 Hz, 1 kHz,and 12 kHz). Each FFT frequency-domain value indicates a component ofthe vibrations measured that occurs at the corresponding frequency. Inother examples, the indicator measurements include additional oralternate FFT frequency-domain values at other frequencies. Theindicator measurements also include the current temperature sensed bythe respective temperature sensor in the sensor node. In the lowcommunication mode, the indicator measurements are transmitted to thecentral database and control system 520 at a low frequency (e.g., eachtape node transmits the indicator measurements every 1 hour).

The tape node 1622 takes vibration and temperature measurements 1720.Some or all of the sensor data collected by the tape nodes may be storedon the memory of the tape node 1622. The tape node 1622 calculates afrequency spectrum of the vibrations by performing a FFT of thevibration data collected. In some embodiments, the tape node 1622 storesthe full frequency spectrum in its memory. In other embodiments, thetape node 1622 only stores the select FFT frequency-domain values at thethree indicator frequencies.

The tape node 1622 transmits the indicator measurements to the centraldatabase and control system according to the protocol of the lowcommunication mode. If each of the indicator measurements received bythe central database and control system 520 from the tape node 1622 areabove or equal to a respective low threshold value and below or equal toa respective high threshold value (i.e., in a moderate range), the tapenode 1622 and the tape node 1632 remain 1740 in the low communicationmode, according to the distributed intelligent software. The processthen repeats, starting from step 1710. Each indicator measurement mayhave a corresponding high threshold and low threshold, according to someembodiments. In some embodiments, some of the indicator measurementsonly have a high threshold or a low threshold. For example, the selectFFT frequency-domain values at the three frequencies may each have acorresponding high threshold and low threshold, whereas the temperaturemeasurements included in the indicator measurements only has a highthreshold. In this case, the tape node 1622 and the tape node 1632 onlyremain in the low communication mode 1740 if each of the select FFTfrequency-domain values are below or equal to the corresponding highthreshold and above or equal to the corresponding low threshold and ifthe temperature measurement is below or equal to the corresponding highthreshold.

If any of the indicator measurements received by the central databaseand control system 520 from tape node 1622 is above a respective highthreshold value or below a respective low threshold value, the centraldatabase and control system 520 transmits 1750 respective instructionsto the tape node 1622 and the tape node 1632 to alter their respectivestates. The tape node 1622 executes the received instructions, exitingthe low communication mode and entering a high communication mode, andthe tape node 1632 likewise executes the received instructions, exitingthe low communication mode and entering the high communication mode1760. In this example, the tape node 1622 and the tape node 1632 receivethe same instructions and both enter the high communication mode. Inother embodiments, the tape node 1632 receives different instructionsfrom the tape node 1622 and enters a different state from the tape node1622. For example, the tape node 1632 may enter a high sensing mode,while the tape node 1622 enters the high communication mode.

In certain embodiments, steps 1730-1760 are all implemented on a tapenode, a gateway device, or some combination thereof, and anyinstructions discussed above sent from the central database and controlsystem are sent from the tape node, instead. Accordingly, this allowsfor the tape node to act autonomously, without requiring additional datacommunication to and from the central database.

The central database (or the tape node or gateway) then transmits 1770an alert to the client device 1651. The alert to the client device 1651may be displayed on a display associated with the client device 1651.The alert may notify a human operator of the indicator measurements thatare above a respective high threshold or below a respective lowthreshold. For example, the alert may be displayed on the client device1651 that indicates that the magnitude of vibrations (according to theselected FFT value) at 1 kHz is above a high threshold for 1 kHzvibrations.

In the high communication mode, the tape node 1622 and the tape node1632 each transmits 1780 its full range of sensor data (also referred toherein as the “full sensor data”) collected to the central database andcontrol system 520 for an hour. The full sensor data may include all ofthe sensor data collected by the vibration sensor and the temperaturesensor in each of the tape node 1622 and the tape node 1632. The fullsensor data includes the frequency spectrum of the vibrations for eachof the tape nodes 1622, 1623, according to some embodiments. While inthe high communication mode, the tape node 1622 and the tape node 1632each transmits the full sensor data more frequently (e.g., every 5seconds) than the low frequency of transmission (e.g., every 1 hour) ofthe indication measurements in the low communication mode.

The full sensor data received by the central database and control system520 may be stored on the database 522. Further calculations may beperformed on the stored data by the application engine 521. The fullsensor data is transmitted from the central database and control system520 to the client device 1651, and the client device 1651 stores thefull sensor data in its memory. The client device 1651 displays the fullsensor data on its display, for example, for a user to view. The fullsensor data may be displayed to a human operator in the building andnetwork controls area 1650, who may make a decision based on the fullsensor data. For example, if the vibration and temperature datacollected by tape node 1632 indicates that the pump 1631 is functioningincorrectly, the human operator may deactivate the pump using anemergency shutoff. In some embodiments, the emergency shutoff is engagedusing the client device 1651. In other embodiments, the client device1651 automatically engages the emergency shutoff, in response todetecting that the vibration and temperature data collected by the tapenode 1632 correspond to a malfunctioning of the pump 1631. In someembodiments, if any of the indicator measurements that the centraldatabase and control system 520 from the tape node 1622 are above asecond high threshold (value greater than the high threshold value), theclient device 1651 is instructed to deactivate the pump using anemergency shutoff.

After an hour of the tape nodes 1622, 1632 transmitting 1780 the fullsensor data in the high communication mode, if any of the indicatormeasurements received from the tape node 1622 or by the tape node 1632are still above the respective high threshold or below the respectivelow threshold, the tape nodes 1622, 1632 remain in the highcommunication mode. This is repeated until the indicator measurementsare all below or equal to their respective high threshold and above orequal to their respective low threshold, according to some embodiments.If all of the indicator measurements received from the tape node 1622and by the tape node 1632 are below their respective high thresholdvalue and above their respective low threshold after step 1780, the tapenode 1622 and the tape node 1632 each exit the high communication modeand return to the low communication mode. The process then repeats,starting at step 1710.

Although only the indicator measurements for the tape node 1622 are usedto decide whether to proceed from step 1730 to step 1740 or step 1750 inthe example of FIG. 17, in other examples, the indicator measurementsfor the tape node 1632 may be considered.

FIG. 18 shows an example plot 1800 of an indicator measurement collectedat various times by the tape node 1622 in the example discussed withrespect to FIGS. 16 and 17. Each indicator measurement shown in theexample plot 1800 is a measurement collected by a sensor in the tapenode 1622 or a data value calculated based on the collected measurement.For example, each of the indicator measurements shown in the exampleplot 1800 may be a temperature measurement or a selected FFTfrequency-domain values corresponding to the 1 kHz frequency.

The example plot 1800 shows 7 indicator measurements taken over a timeperiod of 7 hours, with a one hour interval between each measurement.Although only 7 indicator measurements are shown, the tape node 1622 maytake more than 7 indicator measurements in the time period shown. Theexample plot 1800 shows the relative values of the low threshold value1810 and the high threshold value 1820 as corresponding to the indicatormeasurements. Each threshold value is indicated by a respective dottedline. The first four indicator measurements shown in the example plot1800 (corresponding to the first four hours shown in the example plot1800) are in the moderate range, each having a value below or equal tothe high threshold value 1820 and above or equal to the low threshold.During the period (before time 1840) when the first four measurementsare taken, the tape node 1622 is in the low communication mode accordingto the distributed intelligent software, corresponding to steps 1710 to1740 of FIG. 17.

At time 1840, the tape node 1622 collects the indicator measurement 1845which has a value higher than the high threshold value 1820. Executionof the instructions of the distributed intelligent software causes thetape node to enter the high communication mode, and execute steps 1750to 1780 in FIG. 17. At time 1850 after an hour has passed from the time1840 when the tape node 1622 enters the high communication mode, thetape node 1622 collects the indicator measurement 1855 which is in themoderate range. Further execution of the instructions of the distributedintelligent software causes the tape node 1622 to exit the highcommunication mode and re-enter the low communication mode at time 1850.

At time 1860, the tape node 1622 collects the indicator measurement 1865which has a value lower than the low threshold value 1810. Furtherexecution of instructions of the distributed intelligent software causesthe tape node 1622 to exit the low communication mode and enter the highcommunication mode at time 1860. The steps 1750 to 1780 in FIG. 17 arethen executed.

FIG. 19 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a trained machinelearning model being used to generate instructions for the distributedintelligent software. Aspects of the trained model 1910 and associatedmodel parameters 1920 may be stored on an embodiment of the centraldatabase and control system 520, an embodiment of the client device 530,an embodiment of the adhesive tape platform 510, or any combinationthereof. The trained model 1910 receives sensing data 1930 as an input.The sensing data 1930 may be received from a tape node, a client device,the central database and control system, or some combination thereof.The trained model 1910 accesses model parameters 1920 relevant to thedistributed intelligent software and generates instructions 1940 toalter the state of one or more tape nodes based on the received sensingdata 1930 and the accessed model parameters 1920. In some embodiments,instructions 1940 also include instructions for the central databasecontrol center 530, one or more client devices 520, or any combinationthereof. The model parameters 1920 may include values, parameters,conditions, and logic relevant to the distributed intelligent software.For example, the model parameters 1920 may include one or more thresholdvalues for the sensing data 1330 used in detecting if an event hasoccurred.

FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating an example of training themachine learning model shown in FIG. 19. During training, the model 1910is trained using training sensing data 2010 as an input. The model 2010may also optionally receive training instructions 2020 that correspondto the training sensing data 2010 as an input. For example, this may bethe case when the model 1910 is trained using supervised trainingmethods. The training instructions 2020 may include instructions toalter the state of one or more tape nodes according to the distributedintelligent software and corresponding to the training sensing data1920. The model 1910 is trained by determining model parameters 1920, soas to best represent the relationship between the training sensing data2010 and associated instructions that will be generated by the trainedmodel 1910. For example, the model 1910 may be a neural network trainedusing a stochastic gradient descent technique or some other type ofmachine learning model. Once the model parameter 1920 are known, thetrained model 1910 may be used to generate instructions for one or moretape nodes, the central database and control system, one or more clientdevices, or some combination thereof. As discussed with respect to FIG.19, the output of the trained model 1910 is used to generateinstructions according to the distributed intelligent software.

Example Interface

FIGS. 21-23 relate to example user interfaces that may be shown on oneor more client devices 530 for displaying sensing data, managing theadhesive tape platform and sensing system 500, and setting parameters ofthe distributed intelligent software, according to some embodiments. Theexample user interfaces 2100, 2200 in FIG. 21 and FIG. 22, respectively,may be displayed on one or more embodiments of the client device 530. Insome embodiments, the example user interfaces may be displayed on apersonal computer display as part of an application, web app, website,or some combination thereof. In other embodiments, the example userinterfaces are displayed on a smart phone display, as part of asmartphone app.

FIG. 21 is an example user interface 2100 for displaying information(e.g., properties and settings of the tape node) and sensor datareceived from a tape node. On the left side of FIG. 21 in the tape nodeselection portion, two tape nodes are shown in the user interface, tapenode A and tape node B. The tape node A is organized into a grouplabeled “East Wing.” For example, East Wing may be a label thatindicates a location of the tape node A. The tape node B is similarlyorganized into a group labeled “West Wing.” A user may interact with theuser interface in the tape node selection portion to select which tapenode has its sensor data and properties displayed in the data viewingportion 2120. A user may interact with the data selection portion 2130to select which types of information are displayed in the data viewingportion 2120. In the example of FIG. 21, the tape node A is selected inthe tape node selection portion 2110, and the “node settings” areselected in the data selection portion 2120, resulting in varioussettings of the tape node A being displayed in the data viewing portion2120. In some embodiments, the user is able to interact with thesettings shown in the data viewing portion 2120 to change varioussettings and parameters for the selected tape node (e.g., tape node A).Some of the settings and parameters that can be changed using theinterface 2100 may affect relevant parameters, logic, and instructionsthat are included in the distributed intelligent software, according tosome embodiments.

FIG. 22 is an example user interface 2200 for setting parametersrelevant to the distributed intelligent software. The example userinterface 2200 includes the tape node selection portion 2210, the dataviewing portion 2220, and the data selection portion 2230. The tape nodeselection portion 2210, the data viewing portion 2220, and the dataselection portion 2230 function similarly to the respective tape nodeselection portion 2110, the data viewing portion 2120, and the dataselection portion 2130 shown in FIG. 21.

In the example of FIG. 22, the tape node A is selected in the tape nodeselection portion and the “alert settings” are selected in the dataselection portion 2230, resulting in the alert settings and informationfor the tape node A being displayed in the data viewing portion 2220.The alert settings and information for the tape node A are settings andproperties relevant to the distributed intelligent software. Inparticular, the alert settings and information for the tape node partlydefine rules and logic for when alerts are transmitted to one or moreclient devices 530 from an embodiment of the central database andcontrol system 520 associated with tape node A, in response to thevibration sensor data that tape node A (an embodiment of the adhesivetape platform 510) collects.

In the example shown in FIG. 22, the central database and control system520 transmits an alert to one or more client devices 530 associated withthe users and email addresses shown in the alert recipient portion 2240.In some embodiments, the alert is transmitted via email to the emailaddresses shown in the alert recipient portion 2250. The user of theinterface 2200 may interact with the alert recipient portion to changewhich users and/or client devices 530 receive alerts from the centraldatabase and control system 520. For example, a user may interact withthe add recipient button 2270 to include additional recipients and/orclient devices that receive alerts. A row of properties and settingsrelated to an alert 2260 are shown in data viewing portion 2220.

In the example of FIG. 22, the alert 2260 is displayed in the dataviewing portion 2220, including the parameters of “Min Frequency (Hz)”,“Max Frequency (Hz)”, and “Velocity Threshold (in/S)” relevant to howthe distributed intelligent software determines when to send the alert2260. In the example shown in FIG. 22, an alert is transmitted when anyof selected velocity indicator measurements has a value above the“Velocity Threshold (in/S)” (i.e., 0.2 in/S). The selected velocityindicator measurements are velocity measurement components that occur inthe frequency band between the “Min Frequency (Hz)” and the MaxFrequency (Hz) (i.e., between 2.31 Hz and 2.4 Hz). The selected velocityindicator measurements may be calculated by performing an FFT on sensordata from a vibration sensor (e.g., an accelerometer) in tape node A,according to some embodiments. By interacting with the data viewingportion 2220, the user of the interface 2200 may edit and/or change theparameters (e.g., “Min Frequency (Hz)”, “Max Frequency (Hz)”, and“Velocity Threshold (in/S)”) relevant to how the distributed intelligentsoftware determines when to send the alert 2260. By changing the “MinFrequency (Hz)” and the “Max Frequency (Hz)” values, the user may changethe frequency band or range of frequencies that are used for theindicator measurement. By changing the “Velocity Threshold (in/S),” theuser may change the high threshold value that triggers the alert whenthe indicator measurement is above the high threshold. The user may alsointeract with the add alert button 2270 to configure the distributedintelligent software to include additional alerts.

In some embodiments, the client device 530 receives a full range ofsensor data from a selected tape node as part of the downloaded sensordata. FIG. 23 is a chart showing example sensor data received by thecentral database and control system from a tape node and downloaded tothe client device 530 associated with the interface 2200, according tosome embodiments. The sensor data shown in the chart includes a fullrange of time-domain acceleration data 2310 (each data pair including anacceleration value and a relative time when the acceleration value wasmeasured) shown on the left two columns of the chart. The sensor dataalso includes a full range of frequency-domain data 2320 (each dataentry including an acceleration value, a velocity value, and a frequencycorresponding to the acceleration and the velocity values) in the right3 columns of the chart. In some embodiments, the frequency-domain datais calculated from a FFT performed on the time-domain acceleration data.

Acoustic Monitoring

FIG. 24A shows an example of a tape node 2410 with an acoustic sensorcollecting audio data relevant to an asset that the tape node ismonitoring, according to some embodiments. The tape node 2410 is anembodiment of the tape nodes 102, 103, 105 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5A-5C,according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, the tape node 2410has a different form factor than the flexible adhesive tape form factor.For example, the tape node 2410 may have a rigid form factor, in someembodiments. The acoustic sensor may be a microphone, a piezoelectricsensor, a piezoresistive sensor, another type of acoustic sensor, orsome combination thereof. The tape node 2410 includes a two-dimensionalbar code 2411 on the non-adhesive side of the tape node 2410. In thisexample, the tape node 2410 is adhered to the asset 2420 with theadhesive side contacting a surface of the asset 2420, but in otherexamples, the tape node 2410 may not be adhered to the asset 2420. Achain 2430 associated with the asset 2420 is in the vicinity of the tapenode 2420. In some embodiments, a different component or object isassociated with the asset 2420 and in vicinity of the tape node 2420. Insome embodiments, the chain 2430 is attached to a portion of the asset2420. For example, the chain 2430 may secure another object to the asset2420. A user of the sensing system may be interested in detecting eventswhere the chain 2430 has been broken, to be aware of tampering or damageto the asset 2420 or the chain 2430.

In one example, the tape node 2410 collects audio sensor data using theacoustic sensor of the tape node 2410. In the event of the chain 2430breaking, the distributed intelligent software determines that the chainhas broken based on audio data that is captured by the acoustic sensorof the tape node 2410. In some embodiments, the tape node 2410 itselfperforms computations for determining that this event has occurred,without communicating with other nodes of an associated sensing system400. The tape node 2410, in this case, may also generate softwareinstructions to alter its own state, according to the distributedintelligent software. In other embodiments, the tape node 2410communicates data (e.g., the audio data or data relevant to the audiodata) to other nodes of the sensing system 400, and the other nodesperform computations for determining that the event has occurred. Inthis case, the other nodes transmit communications to the tape node 2410to instruct the tape node 2410 to alter its own state, according to thedistributed intelligent software.

In some embodiments, the data from the tape node 2410 is provided to aclassifier which determines if an event has occurred. The classifier isa trained machine learning model, as described below with respect toFIGS. 25 and 26A-26C. Aspects of the classifier may be stored on one ormore tape nodes (e.g., tape node 2410), one or more client devices, oneor more gateway devices, one or more other nodes of the sensing system400, the server(s)/cloud, or some combination thereof. For example, somecombination of analysis functions, parameters, and weighting factors maybe stored on the tape node 2410. The tap node 2410 may access the storedanalysis functions, parameters, and weighting functions and execute thefunctions of the classifier locally, without communicating with othernodes of the sensing system 400, according to some embodiments. In otherembodiments, the aspects of the classifier are distributed across thenodes of the sensing system, and the classifier functionality isexecuted by communicating between the nodes of the sensing system.

FIG. 24B is a flow chart showing example steps for a method 2402 ofdetecting events based on audio data collected by a tape node, accordingto some embodiments. The tape node 2410 senses 2450 an audio signalcollected by an acoustic sensor of the tape node 2410. In someembodiments, the tape node determines if the process 2402 should beinitiated if the audio signal includes a predetermined characteristicfor triggering the process 2402. The characteristic may be a peak oraverage volume level above a threshold level, an audio level at aspecified audio frequency being above a threshold value, or some othercharacteristic. In other embodiments, the process 2402 is triggered byother events, as discussed above with respect to FIG. 12, for example.The tape node 2410 performs data compression 2451 on the audio signal,according to a current audio quality state of the tape node 2410. Thecurrent audio quality state of the tape node 2410 defines parameters forcompressing the audio signal. The parameters may include a compressiontechnique for compressing the audio signal, a bitrate for encoding thecompressed audio signal, a codec for compressing the audio signal, alatency, other parameters for compression, or some combination thereof.The current audio quality state of the tape node 2410 may include alevel of compression for compressing the audio signal, with a higheraudio quality state corresponding to a lower level of compression. Thetape node 2410 may compress the audio signal in order to reduce thebandwidth necessary to transmit the audio signal, reduce the size of theaudio data for the audio signal, and/or for other reasons.

The tape node 2410 provides the compressed audio signal to a classifier2452. In some embodiments, the tape node 2410 transmits the compressedaudio signal to a server of the IOT system 400 which hosts theclassifier. The classifier may be an embodiment of the classifierdiscussed above with respect to FIG. 24A. The classifier is configuredto output a label for the provided input and also a confidence scoreassociated with generated label. If the confidence score is below athreshold level, the distributed intelligent software instructs the tapenode to enter a higher quality audio state 2454. The tape node thenredoes the compression of the audio signal 2452, according to the newaudio quality state and continues on with the method 2402, according tosome embodiments. In some embodiments, the tape node 2410 collectsadditional audio data and provides the additional sensing data to theclassifier when redoing the classification of the audio signal, inresponse to the classifier generating a confidence score that is belowthe threshold. In addition to or alternative to reducing the level ofcompression when changing to a higher quality audio state 2454, the tapenode 2410 may change a sampling rate or frequency, change a bitrate ofcompression, send the audio signal to the classifier without anycompression, or perform another action to increase the fidelity orquality of the audio signal provided to the classifier.

If the classifier generates a prediction with a confidence level abovethe threshold, the classifier provides the generated label to thedistributed intelligent software 2456. In response, the distributedintelligent software determines if the label corresponds to an eventthat requires a state change. If so, the distributed intelligentsoftware instructs the tape node 2410 to change states 2460. If not,then the distributed intelligent software does not instruct the tapenode 2410 to change states. The tape node 2410 then continues monitoringaudio sensor data, according to its current state, and starts theprocess 2402 again when an audio signal is detected that requiresclassification.

FIG. 25 is a diagram showing an example of using a classifier 2510 todetect events based on sensing data collected by a tape node, accordingto some embodiments. The classifier receives input sensing data 2530 andoutputs a label 2540 based on the received sensing data 2530 andaccessed model parameters 2520. The output label 2540 may include aplurality of output labels. The output label 2540 corresponds to anevent that is associated with the input sensing data 2530, according tosome embodiments. One of the output labels 2540 that may be output fromthe classifier 2510 may include a label that corresponds to no eventoccurring (e.g., a “normal” label). In some embodiments, the classifieralso generates a confidence score 2550 for each output label 2540 thatis output. The confidence score 2550 may indicate the probability thatthe output label 2540 is accurate.

According to some embodiments, the classifier 2510 may optionallyreceive as an input compression parameters that correspond to datacompression that was performed on the input sensing data 1410 and/or asampling frequency corresponding to the input sensing data 1410. In thiscase, the classifier 2510 outputs the label 2540 based on the receivedsensing data 2530, the received compression parameters, and accessedmodel parameters 2520.

The sensing data 2510 may include data collected by one or more sensorsof a tape node associated with a sensing system 400, according to someembodiments. The sensing data 2510 may include, for example, audio datacaptured by an acoustic sensor of the tape node.

In some embodiments, the classifier 2510 outputs a “more data” labelthat indicates that more sensing data is needed, based on the inputsensing data 2530 and the accessed parameters 2520. The “more data”label may indicate that more sensing data 2530 or sensing data 2530 ofhigher quality/fidelity is necessary for the classifier 2510 to output alabel 2540 that is accurate. In some embodiments, the higherquality/fidelity corresponds to a level or type of compression of thedata. For example, the sensing data 2530 may go through lossycompression before being provided to the classifier 2510 for inference.The “more data” label may indicate that a lower degree of compression orlossless compression should be used for the sensing data 2530. In someembodiments, the “more data” label is output if an output label 2540with a high confidence score 2550 cannot be output by the classifier2510. A high confidence score 2550 may be a confidence score that isabove a threshold level, according to some embodiments. For example, theclassifier 2510 may receive input sensing data 2530 that includes audiodata from a tape node. If the audio data is heavily compressed, theclassifier 2510 may not be able to output a label 2540 with a highconfidence score. The classifier 2510 then outputs the “more data”label, requesting more data or data of higher quality/fidelity. Inresponse, the distributed intelligent software may instruct the tapenode to provide audio data with lower data compression (e.g. at a higherlevel of bits) to the classifier 2510, provide audio data that is notcompressed to the classifier 2510, collect audio data using a highersampling frequency and provide the audio data to the classifier 2510,provide a larger amount of audio data to the classifier 2510, take otheractions related to the audio data, or some combination thereof.

FIGS. 26A-26C are diagrams showing examples of a training process forthe classifier 2510 shown in FIG. 25, according to some embodiments

FIG. 26A is a block diagram illustrating an example of training theclassifier 2510 shown in FIG. 13. During training, the classifier 2510is trained using training sensing data 2610 as an input. The classifier2510 may also optionally receive as an input training labels 2620 thatcorrespond to the training sensing data 2610. For example, this may bethe case when the classifier 2510 is trained using supervised trainingmethods. The training labels 2620 may include labels for events thatcorrespond to the training sensing data 2610. The classifier 2510 istrained by determining model parameters 2520, so as to best representthe relationship between the training sensing data 2610 and associatedlabels that will be generated by the trained classifier 2510. Forexample, the classifier 2510 may be a neural network trained using astochastic gradient descent technique or some other type of machinelearning model. Once the model parameter 2520 are known, the trainedclassifier 2510 may be used to generate output labels based on receivedinput sensing data for detecting events. The distributed intelligentsoftware uses the event detection by the trained classifier 2510 todetect events relevant to assets being monitored by one or more tapenodes and, in response, alters the state of the one or more tape nodesbased on the events detected by the trained classifier 2510.

Referring to FIG. 26B, the classifier 2510 may be trained by inputtingtraining compressed sensing data 2612 and training compressionparameters 2626 to the classifier 2510, according to some embodiments.The training compression parameters may include information on datacompression that was performed on the trained compressed sensing data2612 and/or a sampling frequency corresponding to the sensing data 2612.The classifier 2510 is trained by determining model parameters 2520, soas to best represent the relationship between the training compressedsensing data 2612, the training compression parameters 2614, andassociated labels that will be generated by the trained classifier 2510

Referring to FIG. 26C, the classifier 2510 may be trained by inputtingtraining compressed sensing data 2612 and training uncompressed sensingdata 2616 to the classifier 2510, according to some embodiments. Thetraining uncompressed sensing data 2616 may include raw sensing datathat was used to generate the compressed sensing data 2612, via datacompression. The classifier 2510 is trained by determining modelparameters 2520, so as to best represent the relationship between thetraining compressed sensing data 2612, the training uncompressed sensingdata 2616, and associated labels that will be generated by the trainedclassifier 2510.

Combining Sensor Modalities

The distributed intelligent software and system thereof may combinemultiple sensor modalities to detect events, according to someembodiments. For instance, in the example of FIG. 24A, the tape node2410 with the acoustic sensor may also include a vibration sensor thatis capable of measuring vibrations of the asset 2420. The activation ofa specific sensor modality may be triggered by detecting events usinganother sensor modality. For example, the tape node 2410 may onlyactivate its vibration sensing functionality, in response to detectingan audio signal that corresponds to the chain 2430 breaking using theacoustic sensor. The vibration sensor of the tape node 2410 may be in asleep state or deactivated state, prior to the event of the chain 2430breaking, but may be activated after the tape node 2410 detects an audiosignal that corresponds to a potential chain 2430 breaking event. Thetape node 2410 may then enter a state, in response, in which the tapenode collects sensor data from both the vibration sensor and theacoustic sensor simultaneously. Since the tape node 2410 contains bothsensors on the tape node 2410, the vibration data and the audio data canbe captured synchronously with low latency.

In another embodiment, a first tape node is deployed in the field nearthe asset 2420 to capture audio data using an audio sensor of the firsttape node, e.g., to detect the sound of the chain 2430 breaking, and asecond tape node is deployed on the asset 2420 to measure the vibrationof the asset 2420 using a vibration sensor of the second tape node. Thefirst tape node and the second tape node may communicate with each otherusing a first type of wireless communication interface (e.g., Bluetoothor BLE), and the first tape node and the second tape node are located ata distance from each other that is within the communication range of thefirst type of wireless communication range. The first tape node maydetect the audio signal corresponding to the chain 2430 breaking, andinstruct the second tape node to begin capturing vibration sensor datausing wireless communication, in response. Both the first tape node andthe second tape node may synchronously measure audio data and vibrationdata respectively, with precise timing and low latency. Since the tapenodes use low-latency, short-range wireless communication and are ableto perform the decision making to initiate the synchronous capture ofsensor data without needing to first contact the server of the sensingsystem 400, in some embodiments, the tape nodes are able to synchronizetheir sensor data capture with high precision. In further embodiments,the tape nodes are able to synchronize the timing of their sensor datacapture to less than a millisecond precision. In a conventional system,where a server separately instructs a vibration sensor and an audiosensor that are not onboard the same device, the conventional system maysuffer from the latency of communicating with a remote server. Thelatency may result in the vibration sensor and the audio sensor beingunable to synchronize their sensor data capture with high frequency.However, in the disclosed system the tape nodes are able to coordinatetheir sensor capture without first contacting the server, which allowsfor high precision timing and recording of the data. The two datastreams (audio and vibration data from the respective first and secondtape nodes) can be uploaded together or separately to the sensingsystem. Additionally, insights and event detection may be enhanced byusing more than one sensor modality to detect events.

While the example discussed above includes the two sensor modalities ofan acoustic sensor and a vibration sensor, the embodiments are notlimited thereto, and the same disclosed principles, methods, and systemsthereof are applicable to any sensor modalities. Additionally, the samemay be applied to two instances of the same sensor modality, such as twotape nodes measuring vibration at two different locations on an asset.

Example Computer Apparatus

FIG. 27 shows an example embodiment of computer apparatus 320 that,either alone or in combination with one or more other computingapparatus, is operable to implement one or more of the computer systemsdescribed in this specification. A client device in the sensing system400, 500 may be an embodiment of the computer apparatus 320.

The computer apparatus 320 includes a processing unit 322, a systemmemory 324, and a system bus 326 that couples the processing unit 322 tothe various components of the computer apparatus 320. The processingunit 322 may include one or more data processors, each of which may bein the form of any one of various commercially available computerprocessors. The system memory 324 includes one or more computer-readablemedia that typically are associated with a software applicationaddressing space that defines the addresses that are available tosoftware applications. The system memory 324 may include a read onlymemory (ROM) that stores a basic input/output system (BIOS) thatcontains start-up routines for the computer apparatus 320, and arandom-access memory (RAM). The system bus 326 may be a memory bus, aperipheral bus or a local bus, and may be compatible with any of avariety of bus protocols, including PCI, VESA, Microchannel, ISA, andEISA. The computer apparatus 320 also includes a persistent storagememory 328 (e.g., a hard drive, a floppy drive, a CD ROM drive, magnetictape drives, flash memory devices, and digital video disks) that isconnected to the system bus 326 and contains one or morecomputer-readable media disks that provide non-volatile or persistentstorage for data, data structures and computer-executable instructions.

A user may interact (e.g., input commands or data) with the computerapparatus 320 using one or more input devices 330 (e.g., one or morekeyboards, computer mice, microphones, cameras, joysticks, physicalmotion sensors, and touch pads). Information may be presented through agraphical user interface (GUI) that is presented to the user on adisplay monitor 332, which is controlled by a display controller 334.The computer apparatus 320 also may include other input/output hardware(e.g., peripheral output devices, such as speakers and a printer). Thecomputer apparatus 320 connects to other network nodes through a networkadapter 336 (also referred to as a “network interface card” or NIC).

A number of program modules may be stored in the system memory 324,including application programming interfaces 338 (APIs), an operatingsystem (OS) 340 (e.g., the Windows® operating system available fromMicrosoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash. U.S.A.), software applications341 including one or more software applications programming the computerapparatus 320 to perform one or more of the steps, tasks, operations, orprocesses of the locationing and/or tracking systems described herein,drivers 342 (e.g., a GUI driver), network transport protocols 344, anddata 346 (e.g., input data, output data, program data, a registry, andconfiguration settings).

Examples of the subject matter described herein, including the disclosedsystems, methods, processes, functional operations, and logic flows, canbe implemented in data processing apparatus (e.g., computer hardware anddigital electronic circuitry) operable to perform functions by operatingon input and generating output. Examples of the subject matter describedherein also can be tangibly embodied in software or firmware, as one ormore sets of computer instructions encoded on one or more tangiblenon-transitory carrier media (e.g., a machine-readable storage device,substrate, or sequential access memory device) for execution by dataprocessing apparatus.

The details of specific implementations described herein may be specificto particular embodiments of particular inventions and should not beconstrued as limitations on the scope of any claimed invention. Forexample, features that are described in connection with separateembodiments may also be incorporated into a single embodiment, andfeatures that are described in connection with a single embodiment mayalso be implemented in multiple separate embodiments. In addition, thedisclosure of steps, tasks, operations, or processes being performed ina particular order does not necessarily require that those steps, tasks,operations, or processes be performed in the particular order; instead,in some cases, one or more of the disclosed steps, tasks, operations,and processes may be performed in a different order or in accordancewith a multi-tasking schedule or in parallel.

Other embodiments are within the scope of the claims.

Additional Configuration Information

The foregoing description of the embodiments of the disclosure have beenpresented for the purpose of illustration; it is not intended to beexhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed.Persons skilled in the relevant art can appreciate that manymodifications and variations are possible in light of the abovedisclosure.

Some portions of this description describe the embodiments of thedisclosure in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations ofoperations on information. These algorithmic descriptions andrepresentations are commonly used by those skilled in the dataprocessing arts to convey the substance of their work effectively toothers skilled in the art. These operations, while describedfunctionally, computationally, or logically, are understood to beimplemented by computer programs or equivalent electrical circuits,microcode, or the like. Furthermore, it has also proven convenient attimes, to refer to these arrangements of operations as modules, withoutloss of generality. The described operations and their associatedmodules may be embodied in software, firmware, hardware, or anycombinations thereof.

Any of the steps, operations, or processes described herein may beperformed or implemented with one or more hardware or software modules,alone or in combination with other devices. In one embodiment, asoftware module is implemented with a computer program productcomprising a computer-readable medium containing computer program code,which can be executed by a computer processor for performing any or allof the steps, operations, or processes described.

Embodiments of the disclosure may also relate to an apparatus forperforming the operations herein. This apparatus may be speciallyconstructed for the required purposes, and/or it may comprise ageneral-purpose computing device selectively activated or reconfiguredby a computer program stored in the computer. Such a computer programmay be stored in a non-transitory, tangible computer readable storagemedium, or any type of media suitable for storing electronicinstructions, which may be coupled to a computer system bus.Furthermore, any computing systems referred to in the specification mayinclude a single processor or may be architectures employing multipleprocessor designs for increased computing capability.

Embodiments of the disclosure may also relate to a product that isproduced by a computing process described herein. Such a product maycomprise information resulting from a computing process, where theinformation is stored on a non-transitory, tangible computer readablestorage medium and may include any embodiment of a computer programproduct or other data combination described herein.

Finally, the language used in the specification has been principallyselected for readability and instructional purposes, and it may not havebeen selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter.It is therefore intended that the scope of the disclosure be limited notby this detailed description, but rather by any claims that issue on anapplication based hereon. Accordingly, the disclosure of the embodimentsis intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of thedisclosure, which is set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: instructing a first sensingdevice to enter a first state, the first state comprising a first set offunctions and behavior for the sensing device, the sensing deviceincluding at least one sensor that measures a property of thesurroundings of the sensing device; instructing the first sensing deviceto aggregate sensing data, the sensing data comprising measurements ofthe property of the surroundings of the first sensing device measured bythe at least one sensor; storing relevant data from the aggregatedsensing data on one of a memory of the first sensing device, a databaseof a central database and control system associated with the firstsensing device, and a memory of a client device; determining that afirst event has occurred based on the aggregated sensing data; andresponsive to the determining that the first event has occurred,instructing the first sensing device to enter a second state, the secondstate comprising a second set of a functions and behavior for the firstsensing device.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least onesensor comprises an acoustic sensor, and the sensing data comprisesaudio data.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining that thefirst event has occurred comprises: inputting the aggregated sensingdata to a classifier; receiving an output from the classifier that isbased on the input aggregated sensing data and based on parametersaccessed by the classifier; determining that the first event hasoccurred based on the output from the classifier.
 4. The method of claim3, wherein the classifier outputs a request for more sensing data, themethod further comprising: instructing the sensing device to enter athird state comprising changing a compression setting or a samplingfrequency relevant to the sensing data; instructing the sensing deviceto aggregate additional sensing data and provide the additional data tothe classifier according to the third state, wherein determining thatthe first event has occurred is further based on an output of theclassifier, the output based on the additional sensing data and theaccessed parameters.
 5. The method of claim 3, wherein one or moreparameters, one or more functions, or one or more weighting factors ofthe classifier are stored on a memory of the tape node.
 6. The method ofclaim 3, wherein the compression setting comprises one of a bitrate, atype of compression, and a codec.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein thefirst sensing device comprises a first type of wireless communicationsystem, the first sensing device configured to communicate with one ormore other wireless nodes of a sensing system.
 8. The method of claim 7,wherein the first type of wireless communication system comprises atleast one of a Bluetooth communication system, a Bluetooth Low Energy(BLE) communication system, a Zigbee communication system, and anultra-wideband (UWB) communication system.
 9. The method of claim 7,further comprising: responsive to the determining that the first eventhas occurred, instructing a second sensing device to enter a thirdstate, the third state comprising a third set of a functions andbehavior for the second sensing device.
 10. The method of claim 9,wherein the second sensing device comprises the first type of wirelesscommunication system, the second sensing device configured tocommunicate with the first sensing device using the first type ofwireless communication system.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein thesecond state comprises capturing sensor data measured by the at leastone sensor synchronously with a sensor data capture of the secondsensing device.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the third statecomprises the second sensing device capturing sensor data using at leastone sensor of the second sensing device synchronously with the sensordata capture of the first sensing device in the second state.
 13. Themethod of claim 12, wherein the first sensing device in the second stateand the second sensing device in the third state synchronize a timing oftheir respective sensor data capture based at least in part oncommunications over the first type of wireless communication system. 14.The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one sensor of the firstsensing device is a different type of sensor than the at least onesensor of the second sensing device.
 15. The method of claim 11, whereinthe second sensing device is located at a distance from the firstsensing device that is less than a communication range associated withthe first type of wireless communication system.
 16. A sensing systemcomprising: a first sensing device configured to measure sensor datarelevant to a first asset and comprising: a first type of wirelesscommunication antenna and interface; a first sensor; and a secondsensing device configured to measure sensor data and comprising: thefirst type of wireless communication antenna and interface; a secondsensor, wherein the first sensing device and the second sensing deviceare configured to communicate with each other using a first wirelesscommunication protocol corresponding to the first type of wirelesscommunication antenna and interface, the second sensing device isconfigured to capture sensor data, in response to receiving aninstruction from the first sensing device using the first wirelesscommunication protocol.
 17. The sensing system of claim 16, wherein thefirst wireless communication protocol is a Bluetooth communicationprotocol or a BLE communication protocol.
 18. The sensing system ofclaim 16, wherein the first sensing device and the second sensing deviceare configured to synchronously capture sensor data, the first sensingdevice and the second sensing device synchronizing the timing of theirrespective sensor data capture based at least in part on wirelesscommunication using the first wireless communication protocol.
 19. Thesensing system of claim 18, wherein the first sensor and the secondsensor comprise different types of sensors.
 20. The sensing system ofclaim 18, further comprising: a server; a database; a gateway nodecomprising the first type of wireless communication interface and asecond type of wireless communication antenna interface; wherein thefirst sensing device and the second sensing device each provide theircaptured sensor data to the gateway node using the first wirelesscommunication protocol, the gateway node subsequently uploads thesynchronously captured sensing data to the server using the second typeof wireless communication antenna and interface, and the server updatesa database based on the received synchronously captured sensing data.